Canadian teams go undefeated on Day 1 of flag football world championships

Olympic berths on the line for both men's & women's teams in Germany

Canada's flag football teams both got off to a winning start at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Thursday.

The Canadian women's team opened play with a victory over Panama. Quarterback Sara Parker threw four touchdowns – three caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and another to Laura Molimard – on the way to a 27-14 win.

In their game against Brazil, the Canadian women staked themselves to a 20-0 lead by halftime and cruised to a 36-6 win.

IFAF Flag Football Women's World Championships Düsseldorf 2026: Canada vs. Brazil

Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each had two touchdown catches in that game while Molimard added another.

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The Canadian men's team opened play with just one matchup on Thursday, a 26-6 win over Austria. Quarterback Michael O'Connor completed 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns in that win.

A world title is not the only thing on the line at this event, as teams are also chasing a berth into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top-two finishers at the world championships will lock up Olympic spots in what will be the sport's debut on the programme.

IFAF Flag Football Men's World Championships Düsseldorf 2026: Canada vs. Austria

Both Canadian teams wrap up group stage play on Friday with games against Japan. The men take the field at 2 a.m. ET while the women play at 4:30 a.m. ET. All matches at the event will live stream on CBCSports.ca and on CBC Gem.

The Canadian men were originally scheduled to face Nigeria later Friday, but will be awarded an automatic win due to the Nigerian team withdrawing from the tournament due to visa issues.

With files from The Canadian Press