Canada is one of the nations aiming to secure spots for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in flag football’s first appearance at the Games. The world championships in Germany this week will determine two berths each for the men’s and women’s Olympic tournaments, with the United States already receiving an automatic entry as a flag football powerhouse. The remaining spots for each gender will be contested in a two-stage qualifier in Montreal in June 2028.
While the world championships won’t directly determine Olympic qualification, teams will want to secure spots early to avoid the pressure of the last-chance qualifier in the following two years.
In the preliminary round of the men’s and women’s tournaments in Germany, sixteen teams were divided into groups of four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage starting on Saturday, leading up to the medal games on Sunday where the world champions and Olympic qualifiers will be decided.
The Canadian women’s team, currently ranked fourth globally, will face Panama, Brazil, and Japan in the group stage. The Canadian men’s team, ranked 10th, will compete against Austria, Japan, and a withdrawn Nigeria due to visa issues.
The women’s team, with past successes in 2010 and 2014, aims to secure an Olympic spot, while the men’s team seeks to improve on their lone world title in 2008. The U.S. team, ranked first, is a strong contender for their sixth consecutive world title.
The Olympics’ addition of flag football for 2028 raised speculations about NFL and CFL stars potentially participating. However, the differences between flag and tackle football were evident at a recent exhibition tournament where flag football players outperformed NFL superstars, emphasizing the unique skills required for the sport.
Canada’s national teams feature former NFL and CFL players, including Antony Auclair and Marc-Antoine Dequoy on the men’s team, with veteran players such as Sabrina Gervais and Sarah Parker leading the women’s team.
Viewers can watch the flag football world championships live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website, beginning at 2 a.m. ET on Thursday.
