The Canadian women’s flag football team has secured a spot at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after defeating Mexico 20-6 in a semifinal match at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Duesseldorf, Germany.

Expressing her pride in the team, Rachel Lessard, the head coach of the Canadian women’s team, highlighted the discipline, resilience, and trust that the team has demonstrated throughout the qualifying process. She emphasized that the team had earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2028 Olympic Games following their success at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football world championships.

With flag football set to debut at the Olympics in 2028, the top two countries from both the men’s and women’s world championships automatically qualified. The United States, as the host nation, could secure additional spots by reaching the final. The Canadian women will face the U.S. in the world championship final, while Mexico and Britain will compete for the remaining women’s Olympic berth in the bronze-medal match.

In the men’s competition, Canada’s team suffered a 41-36 loss to Italy in the semifinals but had a chance to secure an early Olympic berth in the bronze-medal match against Mexico. The U.S. will contend for the men’s gold against Italy in the championship final on Sunday.

Apart from the world championships, countries can also qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics through continental championships next year and a subsequent qualifying series. The Canadian men and women showcased their strength in the quarterfinals, with victories over American Samoa and Austria, respectively.

Football Canada’s chief executive officer, Eva Havaris, commended the women’s team for their hard work and exceptional performance, expressing excitement about their official qualification for the Olympic stage. Sara Parker, Silvia Contreras, Caroline Moquin-Joubert, and Alexane Fournier were among the standout performers for the Canadian teams in the semifinals.

As the journey to the 2028 Olympics continues, the Canadian flag football teams are poised to make a significant impact on the global stage, building on their recent achievements and successes.