The Canadian national women’s flag football team has secured a spot at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles after defeating Mexico 20-6 in the semifinals of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship held in Duesseldorf, Germany.
Expressing her pride in the team, head coach Rachel Lessard stated that the qualification for the 2028 Olympics is a testament to the team’s discipline, resilience, and unity forged throughout the process. She emphasized that the team has rightfully earned the opportunity following their performance at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football world championships.
Acknowledging the rising prominence of Canadian flag football, Lessard expressed gratitude for being able to uphold this momentum at the upcoming Olympic Games in 2028. The top two countries from both the men’s and women’s world championships will qualify for the 2028 Olympics, where flag football will make its debut.
The Canadian women’s team is set to face the United States in the world championship final after the U.S. emerged victorious against Britain in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Mexico and Britain will compete for the remaining women’s Olympic berth in the bronze-medal match.
On the men’s side, Canada faced a 41-36 defeat against Italy in the semifinals but will have a chance to secure an early Olympic spot in the bronze-medal match against Mexico. The U.S. will battle Italy for the men’s gold medal in the world championship final.
In addition to the world championships, countries can also qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics through next year’s continental championships and a subsequent qualifying series. The Canadian men and women had notable victories in the quarterfinals, with the women defeating the U.S. at the USA Football Summer Series on June 19.
Eva Havaris, the CEO of Football Canada, commended the women’s flag football team for their hard work and exceptional performance, expressing excitement for their official qualification for the Olympic stage. Sara Parker, Silvia Contreras, Caroline Moquin-Joubert, Alexane Fournier, James Drysdale, Jackson Tachinski, and Antony Auclair were highlighted for their standout performances in the semifinals.