Canada’s flag football teams had a strong start at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Canadian women’s team secured victories in their matches against Panama and Brazil. Quarterback Sara Parker led the team with four touchdown passes, three caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one by Laura Molimard, resulting in a 27-14 win over Panama and a 36-6 win against Brazil. Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau also contributed with two touchdown catches each in the game against Brazil.
On the other hand, the Canadian men’s team dominated their lone match of the day against Austria with a 26-6 victory. Quarterback Michael O’Connor shined by completing 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns. The competition is not just about the world title as teams are aiming for a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top two teams from the world championships will secure Olympic berths as the sport makes its Olympic debut.
Both Canadian teams will face Japan in their final group stage matches on Friday. The men will kick off at 2 a.m. ET, followed by the women at 4:30 a.m. ET. All matches are available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Additionally, the Canadian men’s scheduled match against Nigeria has been canceled, with Canada receiving an automatic win due to Nigeria’s withdrawal from the tournament over visa issues.