Canada’s women’s flag football team emerged victorious against the United States to claim the world championship title, while the men’s team secured a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championships in Düsseldorf, Germany. The women, who secured their spot with a 20-6 win over Mexico in the semifinals, sealed a flawless tournament with a 27-20 triumph over the Americans in the final. Frederique Morneau made three touchdown receptions for Canada, with quarterback Sara Parker connecting with Caroline Moquin-Joubert for another score. Parker, with a total of 23 touchdown passes, was named the women’s tournament’s most valuable player.
The Canadian men also secured their place at the 2028 Games by defeating Mexico 34-26 in the third-place match. Quarterback Michael O’Connor led the team with 294 passing yards and five touchdowns. Former NFL tight end Antony Auclair contributed 149 receiving yards and caught two of O’Connor’s touchdown passes. Daniel Petermann found the end zone twice, with James Drysdale scoring the remaining touchdown.
The top two teams from both flag events, excluding the host Americans, qualified for the Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will debut as an Olympic sport. Although Canada was defeated by Italy in the men’s semifinals, the third-place match against Mexico turned into a crucial showdown for an Olympic qualification after the American men advanced to the final. Head coach Paul LaPolice praised the team’s performance, stating, “We came to the world championships to win, and this group achieved that goal. Qualifying for the Olympics is a result of hard work and dedication, and I’m proud of how our athletes rose to the occasion.” LaPolice added, “It’s an exciting time for the sport as both our men’s and women’s teams qualifying together demonstrates the positive direction of Canadian flag football.” The U.S. secured victory over Italy in the men’s final with a score of 42-26.