Flag football is making its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028, and Canada will compete in both the men’s and women’s events after qualifying this weekend.
The fourth-ranked Canadian women did it in style, upsetting the second-ranked United States in the gold medal match at the IFAF World Flag Football Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany on Sunday.
Frédérique Morneau was Canada’s hero, scoring three touchdowns in a 27-20 win after the game was tied 14-14 at halftime.
The victory also punched their ticket to the Olympics, with the top two finishers at the event — other than the Americans, who qualify as Olympic hosts — earning a spot two years out.
Mexico booked the other spot in the women’s tournament with a narrow 20-19 win over Great Britain in the bronze medal game. The Mexican women are the top team in the world, but lost 20-6 to Canada in the semifinals before bouncing back for third place and the Olympic spot.
Canada won all three of their group matches — beating Panama, Brazil and Japan — before knocking out Austria in the quarterfinals en route to the top of the podium.
Canada celebrates with their gold medals at the 2026 IFAF World Flag Football Championships. (Photo: NFL Canada)
The top-ranked United States came out on top in the men’s world championship in Düsseldorf as expected, beating fourth-ranked Italy comfortably in the final by a score of 46-26.
Making the final booked Italy’s spot to the Olympics, while either Canada or Mexico would take the other spot by winning the third-place match on Sunday. Tenth-ranked Canada pulled off the upset over third-ranked Mexico with a 34-26 win to claim the bronze medal and qualify for LA.
Super Bowl champion Antony Auclair was the standout for Canada, with the game-winning touchdown in overtime one of two scores on the day for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans tight end. Former Montreal Alouettes star Marc-Antoine Dequoy is also part of the Canadian squad.
A 26-6 victory over Austria, the world’s second-ranked team, in the group stage was a highlight for Canada, who also beat Nigeria and lost to Japan. Canada then beat American Samoa in the quarterfinals before a semifinal defeat to Italy.
Canada’s flag fotball team after qualifying for the Olympics.(Photo: Pau Barrena/Getty Images)
NFL and CFL players will be allowed to compete at the Olympics, meaning that some of the top football players in the world could descend on LA in 2028. But that doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee that they’ll walk into their respective national teams.
The American flag football team beat squads of past and present NFL stars earlier this year — with Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Odell Beckham Jr., Rob Gronkowski, Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, and Jalen Ramsey taking part for the NFL squads.
While NFL and CFL stars, especially quarterbacks, have skillsets that certainly translate well to flag football, that doesn’t mean they will be the players most likely to deliver an expected Olympic gold medal for the Americans and Canada’s target of reaching the podium.
Time will tell how many CFL players make the cut, with BC Lions star quarterback Nathan Rourke among the players who have expressed that they want to take part. The Lions’ April Fools Day joke this year was even an announcement that Rourke — who has really signed up to play in a recreational flag football league to help him prepare — is leaving to focus on his Olympic dream.
“We’re not handing any jobs to CFL football players or NFL football players,” warned head coach Paul LaPolice when he spoke to the media in March.
Nathan Rourke of the CFL’s BC Lions. (Photo: CFL)
The world championships were the first opportunity for countries to win an Olympic quota spot in flag football, other than the United States getting their spot automatically as hosts.
The men’s and women’s tournaments will be six-team events in LA, with the remaining three places for each gender set to be awarded during the Olympic qualifying series in June 2028.
Some of those qualifying matches will be be played in Montreal, with the others in Orlando, Florida. Montreal will also host last-chance qualifiers in beach volleyball, BMX freestyle and the skateboarding park event.
Montreal selected to host third stop of 2028 Olympic Qualifier Series
The Olympic tournament itself will take place at BMO Stadium, home to Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer and Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Canada will be thrilled they don’t have to wait almost two years to book their spot. The road to LA begins now.
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