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, securing second place in their group with a 2-1 record. Originally set to play Nigeria, Canada received a walkover due to Nigeria’s withdrawal from the tournament over visa issues. Japan’s quarterback, Take Taniguchi, threw five touchdown passes, while Canada’s former CFL quarterback, Michael O’Connor, threw three TD passes. In the quarterfinals, Canada will face American Samoa, who caused an upset by defeating the top-ranked U.S.
On the women’s side, they topped their group with a flawless 3-0 record after defeating Japan 34-20. Their upcoming quarterfinal match will be against Austria, with a potential semifinal against the winner of Mexico and Spain. Quarterback Sara Parker displayed an impressive performance by throwing four touchdown passes against Japan, two of which were caught by Caroline Moquin-Joubert.
Additional standout performances from the women’s team included TD catches by Alexane Fournier and Marianne Quirion, and a rushing touchdown by Frederique Morneau. The team managed to overturn a 20-13 halftime deficit by scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half.
Aside from the quest for a world title, teams are also vying for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top-two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic berths as the sport makes its debut on the Olympic program. Live streams of all matches from the event are available on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.