Canada is one of the nations vying for the initial spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Games at this week’s world championships in Germany as flag football prepares to make its Olympic debut. In both the men’s and women’s Olympics competitions, two slots are available, each consisting of six teams. While the host country, the United States, secures an automatic entry due to its strong flag football presence, the remaining three positions for each gender will be determined by a two-stage qualifier in Montreal starting in June 2028.
While success at the ongoing world championships is not mandatory to secure an Olympic berth, it would certainly be advantageous to secure a spot early and avoid the pressure of the last-chance qualifier over the next two years.
Overview of the tournament
Sixteen teams participated in both the men’s and women’s tournaments in Germany and were divided into groups of four for the preliminary rounds held on Thursday and Friday. The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage, commencing on Saturday. The medal matches, determining the world champions and the Olympic qualifiers, are scheduled for Sunday.
The top two finishers in each tournament will earn a ticket to the Olympics, with the possibility of a third-place finish being sufficient if the U.S. reaches the final, setting the stage for potentially thrilling bronze-medal matches.
Canada’s Match Schedule
The Canadian women start their group stage on Thursday at 2 a.m. ET against Panama, followed by a match against Brazil at 8:15 a.m. ET. They will conclude their group matches on Friday at 4:30 a.m. ET against Japan.
Canada’s men kick off their campaign on Thursday at 5:45 a.m. ET against Austria, with their next match against Japan scheduled for Friday at 2 a.m. ET. The Canadians were initially slated to face Nigeria in their final group match, but due to visa issues, Nigeria had to withdraw, granting Canada a default victory.
Team Canada’s Performance
The Canadian women’s team currently holds the fourth position globally, trailing Mexico, the United States, and Great Britain. Despite winning the world championship in 2010 and 2014 and securing a bronze in 2018, they have not made it to the final four since then. The U.S., although ranked below Mexico, has clinched three consecutive world titles by defeating their main rivals in the last two finals.
The Canadian men’s team claimed their sole world title in 2008 and has not medaled since then. Their closest brush with a medal was two bronze-game losses to Italy in 2010 and 2014. Presently ranked 10th, Canada finds itself behind Austria (No. 2, surprisingly) and Japan (7) in their group. The U.S., aiming for a sixth consecutive world title, holds the top spot.
Player Lineup
With the inclusion of flag football in the 2028 Olympics, there was speculation about NFL and CFL stars joining the U.S. and Canadian teams. However, it became apparent that flag and tackle football are distinct sports during a men’s flag exhibition tournament in L.A. back in March, where current NFL stars like Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, and Davante Adams faced off against flag football experts and were outmatched. The Canadian teams at the world championships feature former NFL tight end Antony Auclair and rusher/cornerback Marc-Antoine Dequoy on the men’s side and veteran defensive back Sabrina Gervais and quarterback Sarah Parker on the women’s team.
Viewing Options
The flag football world championships will be broadcast live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website, starting Thursday at 2 a.m. ET.