Canada’s men and women have progressed to the quarterfinals of the flag football world championships in Germany. The men were defeated 37-28 by Japan, finishing second in their group with a 2-1 record. Originally set to play Nigeria, Canada received a forfeit victory as Nigeria withdrew due to visa issues. Japan’s Take Taniguchi threw five touchdown passes, while Canada’s Michael O’Connor tossed three TD passes. In the quarterfinals, Canada will face American Samoa, who surprised with a win over the top-ranked U.S.
On the other hand, the women topped their group with a perfect 3-0 record following a 34-20 win against Japan. They are scheduled to play Austria in the quarterfinals, with a chance to advance to the semifinals against the winner of Mexico and Spain. Quarterback Sara Parker shined with four touchdown passes, two of which were caught by Caroline Moquin-Joubert. Alexane Fournier and Marianne Quirion also made touchdown catches, and Frederique Morneau scored a rushing touchdown as Canada turned around a halftime deficit with 21 unanswered points in the second half.
Beyond the quest for a world title, teams are also vying for a spot in the inaugural flag football event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The top two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic berths. All matches of the event will be available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.