Photo courtesy: Football Canada
Canada’s senior national teams split their results on day two of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championships, but both the men’s and women’s programs have booked their tickets to the quarterfinals in Germany.
The women’s team passed their final test in the group stage with flying colours, as they knocked off fifth-seed Japan with a 34-20 result. After victories over Panama and Brazil on the opening day, the fourth-ranked team in the world remain undefeated and will advance to the knockout round.
The men’s team wasn’t as successful, as Michael O’Connor and company fell to No. 7 Japan by a 37-20 margin. However, the 10th-seeded nation’s upset of No. 2 Austria on Thursday, as well as an automatic forfeit by Nigeria, were enough to push them into the quarterfinals with a 2-1 record.
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The women will be up first on Saturday with an elimination game against No. 6 Austria, whom they last defeated in the bronze medal game of the World Games. That contest will begin at 12:15 a.m. EDT. Should Canada win, they will face either No. 1-ranked Mexico or No. 6 Spain in the semi-final.
The men are slated to take on No. 33 American Samoa at 2:45 a.m. EDT in their quarterfinal matchup, after that upstart nation, led by former Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, handed the United States their first loss in official IFAF play in 14 years. A victory will see them face either No. 4 Italy or No. 11 Germany on home soil.
Medal games are scheduled to be played on Sunday, August 16.
The top two finishers, excluding the United States, in both the men’s and women’s tournaments will qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Information on how to watch games can be found by clicking here.