Photo courtesy: Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The next stage in Canada’s quest for Olympic flag football qualification will begin in Winnipeg.
On Monday, Football Canada announced that the Men’s National Flag Football Team will hold their 2026 selection camp at Princess Auto Stadium from April 30 to May 3.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have a professional CFL facility available to us to host this critical selection camp,” head coach Paul LaPolice said in a statement. “These players deserve to train and showcase their capacity in a world-class facility, and we are thankful to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Football Manitoba for working closely with us to bring this to life.”
Thirty athletes from across the country have been invited to take part in the camp. The top 20 attendees will then progress to a training camp in Chula Vista, Cal., in June, before a roster of 12 is selected to compete at the IFAF World Championship in Germany this August. The full list of attendees can be seen below.
2026 Selection Camp Roster
Jalyl Jacquet
Phillip Pharand
Domenic Horvath
Nevado Russell
Pascal Foccroulle-Menard
Gabriel-Charles Dabe Champagne
Demetrius Ferguson
Guillaume Beland
JS Belisle
Zach Caithness
Antony Auclair
Alexandre Morgan-Zaor
Danny Vandervoort
James Drysdale
Daniel Scraper
Noah Lachance
Michael O’Connor
Dimitrios Sinodinos
Arnaud Desjardins
Francois Rocheleau
Émile Chateauvert
Jonathan Breton Robert
Daniel Petermann
Maxim Malenfant
Colton Klassen
Émile Chênevert
Jackson Tachinski
Maxym Lavallee
Nick Statz
Dylan Reynolds
Anthony Brisebois
Notable returnees from last year’s team include ex-CFL quarterback Michael O’Connor, Super Bowl-winning NFL tight end Antony Auclair, and former Montreal Alouettes draft pick Maxyme Lavallee. Newcomers with significant CFL experience include receivers Danny Vandervoort and Daniel Petermann, and defensive back Nick Statz.
Vandervoort was selected third overall in the 2017 CFL Draft out of McMaster by the B.C. Lions, but struggled to translate to the CFL. In 58 games, he caught just 12 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns.
Petermann was taken in the third round of the 2018 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after playing alongside Vandervoort with the Marauders. In 75 games, he amassed 42 receptions for 425 yards and four touchdowns.
Statz was a sixth-round pick by the Calgary Stampeders out of the University of Calgary in the 2019 CFL Draft. He suited up for 46 games, recording 20 defensive tackles, 23 special teams tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.
Others invited to camp who have previously signed CFL contracts include receiver Maxim Malenfant, running back Connor Klassen, and quarterback-turned-receiver Jackson Tachinski. Two-time Vanier Cup-winning quarterback Arnaud Desjardins will also be in attendance.
The CFL is a founding partner of the Senior Men’s and Women’s National Flag Teams, providing support with venues, facilities, and infrastructure, while also amplifying the team’s visibility. Football Canada will have access to the main turf field at Princess Auto Stadium as well as training and meeting spaces required for on and off-field preparations for the duration of their camp.
“On behalf of the Winnipeg Football Club, we’re proud to welcome the Canadian Men’s Flag Football Team to Princess Auto Stadium,” stated Wade Miller, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “Providing a first-class environment for these athletes to train and prepare is exactly the kind of opportunity we want to be part of — flag football is growing fast, and Canada is building toward something special on the Olympic stage.
We look forward to welcoming local flag football coaches and players in Winnipeg to see Canada’s national team up close as they prepare for the World Championship this summer with an Olympic berth on the line.”
The selection camp for the Canadian Women’s National Flag Football Camp was successfully held last weekend in Quebec.
The IFAF World Championships will take place in Düsseldorf, Germany, from August 13 to 16. The top two finishers in that tournament, other than the United States, will qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. Should Canada fail to secure a berth, they will have a chance at three additional spots by competing in the 2027 IFAF Americas Continental Championship and reaching the Olympic Qualifier Series.
Flag football will make its debut at the LA2028 Olympics. Both the CFL and NFL have approved active players to participate in the tournament, though they will not be available for qualification.
