Canada is one of the nations vying for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as flag football prepares for its Olympic premiere. The World Championships in Germany this week will determine the first available positions for the upcoming Games. Each of the men’s and women’s Olympics tournaments consists of only six teams, with two berths up for grabs. The United States automatically qualifies as the host, leaving three spots for each gender to be decided in a two-stage qualifier in June 2028 in Montreal.
Although not crucial for securing an Olympic ticket, the world championships present an opportunity to secure a spot early and avoid the pressure of the last-chance qualifier in the following years.
The tournament features 16 teams in both the men’s and women’s categories, divided into groups of four for the preliminary rounds. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage starting on Saturday, with the medal games taking place on Sunday to determine the world champions and the Olympic qualifiers.
The Canadian women’s team will face Panama, Brazil, and Japan in the group stage matches, while the men’s team is set to play against Austria, Japan, and a team that had to withdraw, giving Canada a default win.
Currently ranked fourth in the world, the Canadian women have a strong history in the sport, having won the world championship in 2010 and 2014. The men’s team, on the other hand, won their lone world title in 2008 and are now ranked 10th globally. The top two finishers in each tournament will secure a spot in the Olympics.
Despite initial speculation about NFL and CFL stars participating in flag football, the sport requires a different skill set than tackle football. This was evident in a recent exhibition tournament where flag football players outperformed NFL superstars, showcasing the strategic and physical differences between the two sports.
Canada’s national teams are well-prepared for the championships, with notable players such as former NFL tight end Antony Auclair and veteran defensive back Sabrina Gervais leading the charge. Viewers can watch the flag football world championships live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website, commencing at 2 a.m. ET on Thursday.