The Canadian women’s national flag football team has secured their spot at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after defeating Mexico with a score of 20-6 in the semifinals of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Championship held in Duesseldorf, Germany on Saturday.
Expressing her pride in the team, head coach Rachel Lessard stated that qualifying for the 2028 Olympics is a testament to the team’s discipline, resilience, and trust built throughout the process. She emphasized that the team has earned this opportunity at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship and is honored to contribute to the rising status of Canadian flag football.
In the men’s and women’s world championships, the top two countries automatically qualified for the 2028 Olympics, with a provision for a third spot if the United States, as the host nation, advanced to the finals. The Canadian women will face the U.S. team in the world championship final, while Mexico and Britain will compete for the remaining women’s Olympic slot in the bronze-medal match.
Despite a 41-36 defeat to Italy in the men’s semifinal, Canada still has a chance to secure an early Olympic berth by facing Mexico in the bronze-medal match. The U.S. team emerged victorious with a 42-40 score against Mexico in the other men’s semifinal and will contend for the gold against Italy in the championship match on Sunday.
Aside from the current championships, countries can also qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics through upcoming continental championships and a subsequent qualifying series. Earlier, the Canadian teams demonstrated their strength with victories in the quarterfinals, including the women’s close 34-33 win against the U.S. at the USA Football Summer Series.
Football Canada’s CEO, Eva Havaris, commended the women’s flag football team for their hard work and outstanding performance, expressing excitement for their official qualification for the Olympics. Sara Parker, with 107 passing yards, and Silvia Contreras, leading in receiving yards and scoring a touchdown, were standout performers in the women’s semifinal, while Caroline Moquin-Joubert and Alexane Fournier also made significant contributions.
In the men’s semifinal loss, James Drysdale, Jackson Tachinski, and Antony Auclair were among the scorers for the Canadian team. The focus now shifts to the upcoming matches and the anticipation of seeing the Canadian teams shine on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles.