Canada’s men and women have progressed to the quarterfinals of the flag football world championships held in Germany. The men were defeated 37-28 by Japan, securing the second position in their group with a 2-1 record. Despite originally being set to compete against Nigeria, the Canadian team received an automatic win as Nigeria withdrew due to visa complications. Japan’s quarterback, Take Taniguchi, threw five touchdown passes, while Canada’s former CFL quarterback, Michael O’Connor, threw three TD passes.
In the upcoming quarterfinals on Saturday, Canada’s men will face American Samoa, who caused an upset by defeating the top-ranked U.S. team. On the other hand, the Canadian women finished on top in their group with a flawless 3-0 record after beating Japan 34-20. They are slated to play against Austria in their quarterfinal match on Saturday, with a victory potentially propelling them into a semifinal against the winner of Mexico and Spain.
During the match against Japan, quarterback Sara Parker showcased her skills by throwing four touchdown passes, two of which were caught by Caroline Moquin-Joubert. Other notable performances included Alexane Fournier and Marianne Quirion catching TD passes, and Frederique Morneau scoring a rushing touchdown as Canada made a remarkable comeback in the second half, erasing a halftime deficit of 20-13 with 21 unanswered points.
Apart from vying for the world title, teams at the championships are also competing for a chance to secure spots at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top two finishers at the world championships will earn direct qualification to the Olympics, marking the sport’s debut on the Olympic program.
All matches at the event are available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.