Canada’s flag football teams had a successful start at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Canadian women’s team began with a win against Panama, with quarterback Sara Parker throwing four touchdowns, three caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one by Laura Molimard, leading to a 27-14 victory. In their match against Brazil, the Canadian women dominated with a 20-0 lead by halftime and secured a 36-6 win.
Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each scored two touchdowns in the game against Brazil, while Molimard added another. The Canadian men’s team started their campaign with a single match, defeating Austria 26-6, with quarterback Michael O’Connor completing 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns.
Aside from the quest for a world title, teams are also vying for a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top-two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic berths as flag football makes its debut in the Olympic program.
Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage on Friday with games against Japan. The men’s match will be at 2 a.m. ET, followed by the women’s game at 4:30 a.m. ET. All matches from the event will be live-streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
The Canadian men were originally set to face Nigeria, but due to visa issues leading to Nigeria’s withdrawal from the tournament, Canada will receive an automatic win.
You can watch the Canada vs. Brazil match at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany and the Canada vs. Austria match at the same event on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.