The Canadian national women’s flag football team has secured a spot at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. They clinched their place by defeating Mexico 20-6 in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship semifinals held in Duesseldorf, Germany.
Head coach of the Canadian women’s team, Rachel Lessard, expressed her pride in the team’s achievement, attributing it to their discipline, resilience, and teamwork throughout the process. She emphasized the growth of Canadian flag football and the honor of representing the country at the 2028 Olympics.
The top two teams in both the men’s and women’s world championships automatically qualified for the 2028 Olympics, where flag football will make its debut. However, if the United States, as the host nation, reaches the final, the top three teams will earn Olympic berths.
The Canadian women’s team will face the U.S. in the world championship final, with the winner securing the world title. Mexico and Britain will compete in the bronze-medal match for the remaining women’s Olympic spot.
In the men’s semifinals, the Canadian team faced a defeat against Italy but still had a chance to secure an early Olympic qualification in the bronze-medal match against Mexico. The U.S. and Italy will compete for the men’s gold in the world championship final.
Apart from the world championships, countries can also qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics through continental championships next year and a subsequent qualifying series.
Football Canada’s CEO, Eva Havaris, hailed the women’s team for their hard work and exceptional performance, expressing excitement about their official qualification for the Olympics and looking forward to their performance in Los Angeles.
Key players in the semifinals included Sara Parker, Silvia Contreras, Caroline Moquin-Joubert, Alexane Fournier, James Drysdale, Jackson Tachinski, and Antony Auclair, who all made significant contributions to their respective teams.