Austria at the World Cup 2026
Austria arrive at the 2026 World Cup ending a 28-year absence — their last appearance was France 1998. Ralf Rangnick, head coach since April 2022, has built a heavy-pressing 4-2-2-2 that delivered the Euro 2024 last-16 result and now a confident World Cup qualification. The 'godfather of the gegenpress' has rebuilt Austrian football from the inside.
Captain David Alaba (Real Madrid) returns for his first World Cup at age 33 — having missed previous opportunities through Austria's qualifying failures. Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich) and Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig) form the midfield core. Marko Arnautović (Inter Milan reserve role) leads the line.
Group J contains Argentina, Algeria and Jordan. Austria are second favourites behind Argentina (1.50) to top the group at consensus 3.20 — narrowly ahead of Algeria. Outright tournament price 81.0.
Outright odds — Austria to win World Cup 2026
Group J fixtures
All three group-stage matches for Austria at World Cup 2026 with current odds from our partner books.
Squad & predicted XI
Schlager · Posch, Lienhart, Danso, Mwene · Seiwald, X. Schlager · Sabitzer, Baumgartner · Wimmer, Arnautović
Formation: 4-2-2-2 · Coach: Ralf Rangnick
| Player | Position | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Schlager | GK | Red Bull Salzburg | 18 | 0 |
| David Alaba (c) | DF | Real Madrid | 105 | 16 |
| Kevin Danso | DF | Tottenham | 32 | 1 |
| Philipp Lienhart | DF | Freiburg | 22 | 1 |
| Stefan Posch | DF | Como | 38 | 3 |
| Xaver Schlager | MF | RB Leipzig | 40 | 1 |
| Nicolas Seiwald | MF | RB Leipzig | 22 | 0 |
| Marcel Sabitzer | MF | Borussia Dortmund | 90 | 22 |
| Christoph Baumgartner | FW | RB Leipzig | 40 | 14 |
| Marko Arnautović | FW | Inter Milan | 113 | 38 |
How Austria qualified for World Cup 2026
Austria qualified from UEFA Group H with 18 points from 8 matches — first place ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, San Marino and Cyprus. Six wins, no draws and two defeats. Sealed qualification via a 1-1 draw against Bosnia in November 2025.
Baumgartner finished as the squad's leading qualifying scorer with 5 goals. Sabitzer added 4. The Rangnick high-press structure conceded only 5 goals across 8 matches — strong tournament reference.
World Cup history
Austria have appeared at seven previous World Cups. Best finish: third place at Italy 1934 and fourth at Switzerland 1954. The most-recent appearance was France 1998 (group stage exit). Austria's golden era was the 1930s and 1950s — the 28-year absence from 1998 to 2026 spans the entirety of modern Austrian football until Rangnick.
| Year | Host | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | Italy | Fourth place |
| 1954 | Switzerland | Third place |
| 1958 | Sweden | Group stage |
| 1978 | Argentina | Second group stage |
| 1982 | Spain | Second group stage |
| 1990 | Italy | Group stage |
| 1998 | France | Group stage |
| Player | Position | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toni Polster | FW | retired | 95 | 44 |
| Hans Krankl | FW | retired | 69 | 34 |
| Marko Arnautović | FW | Inter Milan | 113 | 38 |
| Anton Schall | FW | retired (1930s) | 28 | 28 |
| Marcel Sabitzer | MF | Borussia Dortmund | 90 | 22 |
| Andreas Herzog | MF | retired | 103 | 26 |
FAQ
Who is Austria's coach at World Cup 2026?
Ralf Rangnick, head coach since April 2022. The German is widely considered the godfather of the gegenpress style. He previously managed RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim and Manchester United (interim). Austria role is his first national-team appointment.
Is David Alaba in Austria's 2026 squad?
Yes — as captain. Alaba, 33, plays his club football at Real Madrid. The 2026 World Cup is his first World Cup — he missed previous tournaments through Austria's qualifying failures despite a club career that has produced 5 Champions League titles.
What is Austria's best World Cup result?
Third place at Italy 1934 — the Wunderteam era, beating France 3-2 in extra time and Hungary 2-1 in the quarter-finals before losing to host Italy 1-0 in the semi-final. They also finished fourth at Switzerland 1954.
Who is Austria's all-time top scorer?
Toni Polster with 44 goals from 95 caps. Polster played his club career across Austria, Spain, Italy and Germany. Marko Arnautović sits second on 38 goals from 113 caps and is the active top scorer.
What group is Austria in at World Cup 2026?
Group J alongside Argentina, Algeria and Jordan. Argentina are favourites at 1.50; Austria second at 3.20. Austria open against Jordan on 17 June, face Argentina on 22 June (MD2), and conclude against Algeria.