Canada’s women’s flag football team secured the world championship by defeating the United States, while the men’s team secured a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championships in Düsseldorf, Germany. The women’s team, having already secured a spot with a 20-6 win against top-ranked Mexico in the semifinals, concluded a flawless tournament with a 27-20 victory over the Americans in the final match.

Frederique Morneau made three touchdown receptions for Canada, with quarterback Sara Parker connecting with Caroline Moquin-Joubert for another score. Parker, who threw a total of 23 touchdown passes, was recognized as the most valuable player of the women’s tournament.

The Canadian men’s team also secured a spot at the 2028 Olympics after defeating Mexico 34-26 in the third-place match. Quarterback Michael O’Connor led the team with 294 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 scored two touchdowns, and James Drysdale added another.

The top two teams from the flag events, excluding the host Americans, qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics where flag football will debut as an Olympic sport. Although Canada lost to Italy in the men’s semifinals, their victory over Mexico in the third-place match secured their Olympic berth.

Paul LaPolice, the head coach of Canada, expressed his pride in the team’s performance, stating, “We came to the world championships to win, and this group achieved that goal.” He emphasized the hard work and dedication that led to the Olympic qualification and commended the athletes for their exceptional performance when it mattered the most.

LaPolice also highlighted the significance of both the men’s and women’s teams qualifying together, indicating a promising future for Canadian flag football. In the men’s final, the U.S. emerged victorious over Italy with a score of 42-26.