Austria at the World Cup 2026: Squad, fixtures, group and history

Austria ended a 28-year absence from the finals by qualifying for FIFA World Cup 2026. Ralf Rangnick's side, led by captain David Alaba, face a showdown with Spain in the last 32 after finishing second in Group J.

Below you will find everything you need to know about Austria at the 2026 World Cup: their fixtures, squad, qualifying record, key players, coach and tournament history.

Austria at the World Cup 2026: At a glance

Coach: Ralf Rangnick
Captain: David Alaba
World Cup appearances: 7
Best finish: Third place (1954)

Austria's World Cup matches

Group J: Runners-up

17 June: Austria 3-1 Jordan (San Francisco Bay Area)
22 June: Argentina 2-0 Austria (Dallas)
28 June: Algeria 3-3 Austria (Kansas City)

Knockout stage

2 July – round of 32: Spain vs Austria (Los Angeles, 21:00 CET)

Austria's World Cup squad

Captain David Alaba is the defensive anchor in Austria's 26-man World Cup squad. Marcel Sabitzer, a UEFA Champions League finalist with Borussia Dortmund in 2024, delivers creativity in midfield and won his 100th cap during the group stage. Up front is 37-year-old Marko Arnautović, Austria's record goalscorer and most-capped player.

How Austria qualified for the World Cup

First place in Group H: W6 D1 L1 F22 A4

Austria 2-1 Romania
San Marino 0-4 Austria
Austria 1-0 Cyprus
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Austria
Austria 10-0 San Marino
Romania 1-0 Austria
Cyprus 0-2 Austria
Austria 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Top scorer: Marko Arnautović (8 goals)

Austria coach: Ralf Rangnick

The Austria coach's playing career ended when he was 25, with the former defensive midfielder going on to be a successful coach whose aggressive counter-pressing style (Gegenpressing) has been hugely influential. He took charge of home-town club Stuttgart, Hannover, Schalke (twice), Hoffenheim and Leipzig in Germany. Following a brief spell in charge at Manchester United, he took the Austria job in 2022, and led the team to the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16.

Austria captain: David Alaba

The versatile, Vienna-born left-back was Austria's youngest-ever player when he made his senior debut in 2009, aged 17, and has been his nation's Player of the Year ten times since then, playing at two EURO final tournaments and making his 100th international appearance in 2023. A two-time UEFA Champions League winner during a long spell at Bayern, he won the competition again in 2022 with Real Madrid, as well as winning the 11th and 12th domestic titles of his career.

Austria's World Cup history 

Most appearances: Friedrich Koncilia, Erich Obermeyer, Bruno Pezzey, Herbert Prohaska (11)
Top scorer: Erich Probst (6)
Best performance: Third place (1954)
World Cup 2022: Did not qualify

Austria have appeared at seven World Cups, but this is their first trip to the finals since 1998 and their first adventure beyond the group stage since 1982. Austria's greatest successes in the competition came in their first two participations; they finished fourth at the 1934 finals, when it was still a straight knockout competition, and then third in 1954, having beaten Uruguay in a bronze medal play-off.

Austria's UEFA Nations League fixtures: Group B3

24 September: Austria vs Israel (20:45)
27 September: Austria vs Kosovo (18:00)
1 October: Republic of Ireland vs Austria (20:45)
4 October: Kosovo vs Austria (18:00)
14 November: Austria vs Republic of Ireland (20:45)
17 November: Israel vs Austria (20:45)

All times CET.