Canada’s flag football squads kicked off their campaign at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, with impressive victories on Thursday. The Canadian women’s team started strong, defeating Panama with quarterback Sara Parker throwing four touchdowns – three to wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one to Laura Molimard – securing a 27-14 win.
In their match against Brazil, the Canadian women dominated the first half, establishing a 20-0 lead and eventually triumphing with a score of 36-6. Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each contributed two touchdown catches, with Molimard adding another to secure the victory.
The Canadian men’s team began their journey with a single game on Thursday, triumphing over Austria with a score of 26-6. Quarterback Michael O’Connor showcased his skill by completing 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns in the game.
Aside from the world title, teams are also vying for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The top two finishers in the world championships will secure Olympic berths as the sport makes its debut on the program.
Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage with matches against Japan on Friday. The men will compete at 2 a.m. ET, followed by the women at 4:30 a.m. ET. Fans can catch all the action live on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
Although the Canadian men were initially scheduled to face Nigeria, the Nigerian team withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues, granting Canada an automatic victory.
Don’t miss the thrilling flag football action as Canada continues its quest for success at the IFAF world championship.