Italy 41-36 Canada, Canada 20-6 Mexico at IFAF Worlds 2026

Italy defeated Canada 41-36 in the men’s semi-final, while Canada beat Mexico 20-6 in the women’s last-four match at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships 2026 in Düsseldorf. The results secured Olympic qualification for Italy’s men and Canada’s women for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Italy will join the United States in the men’s Olympic tournament after reaching the world championship final. Canada also became the first women’s team from Düsseldorf to guarantee a place at Los Angeles 2028, despite Mexico entering the event as the world number-one side.

The United States, already assured of Olympic participation as the host nation, will meet Italy in the men’s world final at 3pm CET on Sunday. The women’s final, scheduled for 4.30pm CET, will see the United States face Canada.

The remaining Olympic place available from the Düsseldorf championship will be decided in the bronze-medal matches. Mexico will play Canada in the men’s bronze-medal game, while Mexico will face Great Britain in the women’s contest for the final women’s qualification spot.

The semi-finals followed a day of close games. Mexico edged Spain 27-26, the United States overcame Germany 35-34 after falling behind, and then defeated Great Britain 27-21. Great Britain had earlier beaten Panama 26-20. In the men’s competition, the United States also defeated Japan 45-38 and Mexico 42-40 before Italy’s victory over Canada.

Nigeria’s men’s and women’s teams were absent despite qualifying through their victories at the 2025 IFAF Africa Flag Football Championships in Egypt. Their delegation could not obtain the required German visas in time, ending their participation in Düsseldorf. Nigeria can still reach Los Angeles through the 2027 IFAF Continental Championships, where a top-two finish would take a team into the Olympic Qualifying Series.