Canada is vying for the opportunity to secure spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Games as flag football makes its Olympic debut. The world championships in Germany this week will determine the initial available positions for the Olympics, with two berths up for grabs in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The United States, a strong flag football nation, automatically qualifies as the host, while the remaining three spots in each gender category will be decided in a qualifier in Montreal in June 2028.
The world championships are crucial for teams to secure their Olympic tickets, although not mandatory. The top two teams in each group of the preliminary round will advance to the knockout stage, leading to the medal games on Sunday to determine the world champions and the Olympic qualifiers.
The Canadian women’s team, ranked fourth globally, will face Panama, Brazil, and Japan in the group stage matches. The Canadian men, ranked 10th, will compete against Austria and Japan, with Nigeria withdrawing due to visa issues, granting Canada a free win.
Flag football differs significantly from tackle football, as demonstrated in a recent exhibition tournament where NFL stars struggled against flag football specialists. The Canadian teams, featuring former NFL and CFL players, aim to capitalize on their strategic advantage in the non-contact sport.
Fans can watch the flag football world championships live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website, with the action kicking off at 2 a.m. ET on Thursday.