The Canadian women’s flag football squad has secured a spot at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles after defeating Mexico 20-6 in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship semifinal held in Duesseldorf, Germany. Head coach Rachel Lessard expressed pride in the team’s discipline, resilience, and trust, attributing their success to these qualities.
Canada’s women’s team will face the U.S. in the world championship final after the U.S. triumphed over Britain 27-21 in the semifinals. The top two teams from both the men’s and women’s world championships will qualify for the 2028 Olympics, with an additional spot available if the host country, the United States, reaches the final.
On the men’s side, Canada faced a 41-36 defeat against Italy in the semifinals but still has a chance to secure an Olympic berth in the bronze-medal match against Mexico. The U.S. will compete against Italy for the men’s gold on Sunday.
The Canadian men and women showcased impressive performances in the quarterfinals, with victories over American Samoa and Austria, respectively. In a closely contested match, the Canadian women narrowly defeated the U.S. at the USA Football Summer Series earlier in June.
Eva Havaris, CEO of Football Canada, commended the women’s team for their hard work and outstanding performance, expressing excitement for their upcoming participation in the Olympics. Sara Parker, Silvia Contreras, Caroline Moquin-Joubert, and Alexane Fournier were standout performers for the Canadian women’s team, while James Drysdale, Jackson Tachinski, and Antony Auclair made notable contributions for the men’s team.
The road to the Olympics for other countries includes next year’s continental championships and a qualifying series in the following year, offering further opportunities to secure a spot at the Los Angeles games.