The Canadian women’s flag football team has secured a spot at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after defeating Mexico 20-6 in a semifinal match at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship held in Duesseldorf, Germany. Head coach Rachel Lessard expressed her pride in the team’s achievement, emphasizing their discipline, resilience, and teamwork leading up to this opportunity. The team’s success reflects the growing prominence of Canadian flag football, with the 2028 Olympics marking its debut in the Games.
The top two teams in both the men’s and women’s world championships automatically qualify for the 2028 Olympics, with an additional spot available if the host country, the United States, reaches the final. The Canadian women’s team will face the U.S. in the world championship final, while Mexico and Britain will compete for the remaining women’s Olympic berth in the bronze medal match.
Despite a 41-36 loss to Italy in the men’s semifinal, the Canadian men have a chance to secure an early Olympic spot in the bronze-medal match against Mexico. The U.S. will contend for the men’s gold against Italy in the championship match on Sunday.
Both the Canadian men and women had successful quarterfinal matches, with the women’s team defeating Austria 40-12 and the men’s team triumphing over American Samoa 24-14. Additionally, the women’s team secured a narrow 34-33 victory over the U.S. at the USA Football Summer Series earlier in June.
Football Canada’s CEO, Eva Havaris, commended the women’s team for their hard work and outstanding performance, expressing excitement for their upcoming Olympic journey. In the semifinals, Sara Parker impressed with 107 passing yards, while Silvia Contreras led the receivers with 38 yards and a touchdown. Caroline Moquin-Joubert and Alexane Fournier also contributed with touchdowns. For the men’s team, James Drysdale stood out with 76 receiving yards and a touchdown, supported by Jackson Tachinski and Antony Auclair, who also found the end zone.
