Canada is among the nations vying for the first available spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games at the world championships in Germany this week, as flag football prepares for its Olympic debut. The competitions will feature six teams each in the men’s and women’s tournaments, with two spots available for each gender. The United States, a dominant force in flag football, secures an automatic entry, while the remaining spots will be determined through a two-stage qualifier in June 2028, starting in Montreal.
While the world championships do not directly determine Olympic qualification, securing a spot early would alleviate the pressure of competing in the last-chance qualifier over the next two years.
Sixteen teams are participating in both the men’s and women’s tournaments in Germany, divided into groups for the initial rounds. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, which commences on Saturday. The medal matches on Sunday will 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 will compete against Austria and Japan, with Nigeria withdrawing due to visa issues.
In the rankings, the Canadian women’s team holds the fourth position globally, with past successes in 2010 and 2014. The men’s team, ranked tenth, won the world title in 2008 and is aiming to clinch a spot in the Olympics.
Flag football’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics raised speculations about NFL and CFL stars participating. However, the differences between flag and tackle football were highlighted during a men’s flag exhibition tournament in March, emphasizing the unique skills required for flag football.
The flag football world championships can be watched live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website starting at 2 a.m. ET on Thursday.