Flag Football World Cup: Britain women lose to Japan in quarter-finals

Great Britain’s hopes of a medal at the flag football World Cup have been dashed after the women’s team were defeated by Japan on Thursday.

GB started the day with a round of 16 match against Switzerland, winning 35-26 with Emily Kemp scoring four touchdowns.

Great Britain, who are ranked fourth in the world after winning last year’s European Championship, faced Japan in the quarter-finals and lost 40-34.

Kemp again scored four touchdowns, but third-place Japan claimed the winning score with 29 seconds left.

GB then played Canada to determine fifth through eighth place. Canada won the shootout 48-47, despite GB quarterback Brittany Botterill throwing seven touchdown passes, five of them to Kemp.

GB women now face a crucial match against Italy on Friday, with the winners securing seventh place – and only the top seven teams qualifying for the 2025 World Games in China.

The British men lost in the round of 16 on Wednesday and were therefore competing for places ninth through sixteenth. They beat Spain 34-28 and then defeated Japan 36-34.

That means Britain, ranked 15th in the world, will face eighth-placed Israel on Friday to determine who finishes ninth.

The tournament in Finland marks the start of the Olympic cycle for flag football, which has been added to the program for LA 2028.