Canada’s male and female teams have progressed to the quarterfinals of the flag football global championship held in Germany. The men’s team secured a second-place finish in their group, with a 2-1 record, following a 37-28 loss to Japan. Due to visa complications faced by Nigeria, the Canadian team received an automatic victory. During the match, Japan’s quarterback, Take Taniguchi, threw five touchdowns, while former CFL quarterback Michael O’Connor contributed three TD passes for Canada. In the upcoming quarterfinals, the Canadian men will compete against American Samoa, who caused an upset by defeating the top-seeded U.S. team.
On the other hand, the Canadian women’s team claimed the top spot in their group with a flawless 3-0 record after triumphing over Japan with a score of 34-20. Their next quarterfinal match will be against Austria, with a potential semifinal encounter against the winner of the Mexico vs. Spain match. Quarterback Sara Parker was instrumental in the victory against Japan, throwing four touchdown passes, two of which were received by Caroline Moquin-Joubert. Alexane Fournier, Marianne Quirion, and Frederique Morneau also contributed significantly to the win.
Apart from the pursuit of the world title, teams are also eyeing spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, as the top two finishers in the world championships will secure Olympic berths, marking the sport’s debut on the Olympic stage. All matches of the event are available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem platforms.