Canada’s flag football teams had a successful start at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Canadian women’s team kicked off their campaign with a win against Panama. Quarterback Sara Parker threw four touchdowns, with three caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one by Laura Molimard, leading to a 27-14 victory.

In their match against Brazil, the Canadian women dominated the first half, securing a 20-0 lead and ultimately triumphing with a 36-6 score. Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each contributed two touchdown catches, while Molimard added another score.

For the Canadian men’s team, they started with a single game on Thursday, defeating Austria 26-6. Quarterback Michael O’Connor completed 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns in that game.

Aside from the pursuit of a world title, teams are also vying for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic berths as the sport makes its debut on the Olympic program.

Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage on Friday with matches against Japan. The men will play at 2 a.m. ET, while the women’s team will take the field at 4:30 a.m. ET. All event matches will be live-streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.

Originally scheduled to face Nigeria on Friday, the Canadian men’s team will now receive an automatic win as Nigeria withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues.