Canada’s flag football squads began the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, with impressive victories on Thursday. The Canadian women’s team triumphed over Panama in their opening match, with quarterback Sara Parker throwing four touchdowns, three to wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one to Laura Molimard, leading to a 27-14 win.
In their second game against Brazil, the Canadian women dominated with a 36-6 victory after establishing a commanding 20-0 lead by halftime. Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each caught two touchdown passes, with Molimard adding another to the tally.
The Canadian men’s team also started strong, securing a 26-6 win over Austria in their lone Thursday match. Quarterback Michael O’Connor shined, completing 19 of 24 passes and scoring four touchdowns during the game.
Aside from vying for the world title, teams are also competing for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where flag football will make its debut. The top two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic berths.
Both Canadian teams will finish their group stage matches on Friday against Japan, with the men playing at 2 a.m. ET and the women at 4:30 a.m. ET. All matches are available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
Originally set to face Nigeria, the Canadian men will now receive an automatic win as the Nigerian team withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues.
