Canada’s men’s and women’s flag football teams qualify for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

By Liam Tremblay — 16 August 2026 — 4 min read

Both the Canadian senior men’s national flag football team and the Canadian women’s flag football team have secured their spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The men’s team earned its berth by defeating Mexico 34-26 in the bronze-medal game at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Sunday. This victory granted Canada one of the six available positions in the men’s Olympic flag football tournament, which will mark the sport’s Olympic debut.

The men’s team’s qualification followed a close semifinal match on Saturday, where they were defeated by Italy. This meant their Olympic hopes depended on the bronze-medal contest against Mexico, the No. 3-ranked team. The United States, as the host nation, had already secured a spot, leaving two Olympic berths for the top remaining men’s teams at the world championship.

The Canadian women’s flag football team had already qualified for the 2028 Olympic Games on Saturday. They secured their spot by defeating Mexico 20-6 in an International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship semifinal. This means both Canadian senior national teams will participate in flag football’s inaugural appearance at the Olympics.

Road to qualification

The path to Olympic qualification at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships was clear for participating nations. The top two countries in both the men’s and women’s world championships were set to qualify for the 2028 Games. However, if the United States, already pre-qualified as the host, reached either the men’s or women’s final, then the top three finishers would earn Olympic berths.

For the men’s team, the tournament began with a clear objective: secure one of the limited spots. Their journey included a quarterfinal victory over American Samoa with a score of 24-14 on Saturday, which advanced them to the semifinals. Despite a 41-36 loss to Italy in the semifinal, the team still had an opportunity to qualify through the bronze-medal match.

The women’s team also demonstrated strong performances throughout the championship. They achieved a 40-12 victory over Austria in their quarterfinal match on Saturday. Their subsequent win against Mexico in the semifinal solidified their Olympic qualification. Following their semifinal win, the Canadian women were scheduled to face the U.S. in the world title game on Sunday, after the U.S. defeated Britain 27-21 in their semifinal.

Team leadership and player performances

The Canadian men’s national team is led by head coach Paul LaPolice, who was appointed in 2025. LaPolice brings more than two decades of professional coaching experience from the CFL to the program. The 2026 team was formed through a national identification and selection process, culminating in a 12-player roster announced in July. This roster was the result of months of evaluation, training camps, and preparation for the World Championship.

On the women’s side, head coach Rachel Lessard expressed pride in her team’s achievement. She noted that qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games reflects the discipline, resilience, and trust the team has developed throughout the process. Lessard emphasized that the team had earned this opportunity at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, highlighting the growing momentum of Canadian flag football.

Key player performances were noted during the semifinal matches. For the women’s team, Sara Parker passed for 107 yards in Saturday’s semifinal. Silvia Contreras led the receivers with 38 yards on six catches and scored a touchdown. Caroline Moquin-Joubert contributed with two touchdowns, and Alexane Fournier also reached the end zone. In the men’s semifinal loss, James Drysdale compiled 76 yards on six catches and scored a touchdown, with Jackson Tachinski and Antony Auclair also scoring.

Eva Havaris, Football Canada’s chief executive officer, described the qualification as an incredible moment for the women’s team and their supporters. She praised the team’s hard work and outstanding performance, stating that they had earned their place on the Olympic stage. The Canadian women had previously edged the U.S. 34-33 at the USA Football Summer Series on June 19.

Looking ahead to Los Angeles

With both the men’s and women’s teams securing their Olympic berths, Canadian flags are set to be prominently displayed in Los Angeles in 2028. The inclusion of flag football in the Olympic Games for the first time marks a significant milestone for the sport. Countries that did not qualify directly through the World Championships still have opportunities to earn spots for Los Angeles via next year’s continental championships and a subsequent qualifying series.

The Canadian women’s team will meet the U.S. for the world title on Sunday, while Mexico and Britain will compete for the remaining women’s Olympic berth in the bronze-medal game. In the men’s competition, the U.S., after defeating Mexico 42-40 in their semifinal, will face Italy for the men’s gold on Sunday at the World Championship.

Source: sportsnet.ca