GB women top group as they aim to book Olympic spot

The Great Britain women's football team secured their place in the Olympic Games as group winners at the flag football World Championships in Germany. This marks the inaugural year where non-contact American football will be an Olympic sport, debuting in Los Angeles 2028. As the second-ranked team globally and European champions, the GB women outperformed France (33-14) and China (26-25) in their opening matches on Thursday.

They further cemented their victory with a 47-26 win over Austria on Friday, ensuring their progression to the knockout stage as group winners.

A win against Panama in the quarter-finals on Saturday could see them face the defending champions, the USA, in the semi-finals the following day. The top two teams, excluding the host nation, America, will qualify for LA28, providing GB with an additional chance to secure a spot in the bronze-medal game.

The GB men's team, ranked 12th globally, concluded their group stage in last place after losses to Italy (21-12), France (43-32), and Panama (33-27). They will now participate in ranking matches to determine their position from ninth to 16th, starting with a game against Switzerland. The gold and bronze-medal games are scheduled for Sunday in Dusseldorf.