The Canadian women’s flag football team has secured a spot in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after defeating Mexico 20-6 in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship semifinal in Duesseldorf, Germany. Head coach Rachel Lessard expressed her pride in the team’s discipline, resilience, and trust that led to this qualification. The team’s success reflects the growing prominence of Canadian flag football, and they are excited to carry this momentum to the Olympic Games.
The top two countries from both the men’s and women’s world championships will participate in the 2028 Olympics as flag football makes its debut. However, if the United States, the host country, reaches the final, the top three finishers will qualify. The Canadian women will face the U.S. in the world title match, while Mexico and Britain will compete for the remaining women’s Olympic spot in the bronze-medal game.
In the men’s semifinal, Canada lost 41-36 to Italy but still has a chance to secure an Olympic berth in the bronze-medal match against Mexico. The U.S. emerged victorious with a 42-40 win over Mexico and will compete against Italy for the men’s gold at the world championship.
Qualification for the 2028 Olympics can also be achieved through next year’s continental championships and a subsequent qualifying series. The Canadian teams had impressive victories in the quarterfinals, with the women defeating Austria 40-12 and the men overcoming American Samoa 24-14. Additionally, the women secured a narrow 34-33 win over the U.S. at the USA Football Summer Series on June 19.
Football Canada’s CEO, Eva Havaris, commended the women’s team for their hard work and outstanding performance, emphasizing that their qualification for the Olympics was well-deserved. The team’s success was highlighted by key players such as Sara Parker, Silvia Contreras, Caroline Moquin-Joubert, and Alexane Fournier for their contributions in the semifinal match.