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 secured a victory against Panama, with quarterback Sara Parker throwing four touchdowns, three caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one by Laura Molimard, resulting in a 27-14 win. In their match against Brazil, the Canadian women established a commanding 20-0 lead by halftime and went on to win 36-6. Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each made two touchdown catches in that game, with Molimard adding another.
On the other hand, the Canadian men’s team played one game on Thursday, defeating Austria 26-6. Quarterback Michael O’Connor completed 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns in the win. Aside from vying for the world title, teams are also competing for a chance to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic spots as the sport makes its debut in the program.
Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage on Friday with matches against Japan. The men will play at 2 a.m. ET, while the women will compete at 4:30 a.m. ET. All event matches will be live-streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Originally set to face Nigeria, the Canadian men will now receive an automatic win as the Nigerian team withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues.