A team profile of Austria, back at the FIFA World Cup after 28 years: 24th in the FIFA ranking, 8th appearance, Ralf Rangnick's tactics, players to watch like David Alaba, and the Group J outlook with Argentina, Algeria and Jordan.
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Ralf Rangnick's discipline is back on the World Cup stage after 28 long years. This is a full team profile of Austria at the FIFA World Cup 2026 — their history, how they play, the players to watch, and the group they have landed in. After topping a brutal Euro 2024 group, Das Team arrive with a real sense of lift: not just happy to be back, but ready to make noise.
Austria have real World Cup history. The "Wunderteam" era of the 1930s made them one of Europe's great football stories, and the 1954 World Cup brought their best finish: third place. This is not a nation arriving without pedigree; it is a traditional football country returning to a stage it once knew well.
But the modern World Cup has been a long wait. Austria last appeared at France 1998, then missed 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. That makes 2026 feel like a comeback with weight behind it — not a routine qualification, but the end of a generation-long absence.
The revival has been shaped by Ralf Rangnick. At Euro 2024, Austria topped a fierce group containing France, the Netherlands and Poland, playing with intensity, structure and conviction. They went out in the Round of 16, but their football left a mark. If they bring that same edge to North America, Austria will be far more than a feel-good returnee.
Rangnick's Austria are built on high pressing and fast transitions. They squeeze opponents early, attack loose touches, and once the ball is won, move forward with real urgency. It is modern, aggressive football with very little dead time.
The midfield is the engine room: pressure on the ball, second-ball reactions, quick switches wide, and runners crashing into advanced areas. David Alaba brings authority and distribution, Konrad Laimer brings relentless energy, and Marcel Sabitzer adds thrust and goals from midfield. Further forward, Marko Arnautovic and Michael Gregoritsch give Austria presence and finishing power. The question is whether they can keep that intensity over three group matches and turn pressure into goals when the margins get tight.
David Alaba is the captain-level all-rounder. Whether used in defense or midfield, his left foot, calm decision-making and leadership give Austria their reference point.
Konrad Laimer is the intensity in Austria's midfield. His running, pressing and ball-winning make him a natural fit for Rangnick's game model, constantly turning defense into attack.
Marcel Sabitzer is the goal-scoring midfielder who can change a tight match. His late runs, shooting range and set-piece threat give Austria a different route to goal.
Around that trio, Arnautovic's big-game edge, Gregoritsch's aerial threat and finishing, and Christoph Baumgartner's mobility can all stretch opponents. Austria's appeal is not just individual quality; it is the way so many of their key players pull in the same tactical direction.
Austria open against Jordan on 16 June, face Argentina on 22 June, and close against Algeria on 27 June.
The shape of the group is clear enough: Argentina are favorites, while Austria look like the leading challenger in the fight behind them, with Algeria close enough to make it tense. A win over Jordan would set the platform, the Argentina match will show how high Austria's pressing ceiling really is, and the Algeria finale could decide everything. For a team back after 28 years, that is exactly the kind of stage that can create a surge.
Because the tournament is in North America, kickoffs land late at night, early morning, or on shifted dates in Japan. The Jordan opener is set for 1:00 p.m. JST on 17 June, while the Algeria match should land around late morning in Japan on 28 June. To avoid missing a match, subscribe to every Austria fixture in your calendar.
Under Ralf Rangnick, the 26 players below were named (likely shape: High-pressing 4-2-2-2 / 4-3-3).
Players to watch: David Alaba, Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer.
| Position | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Patrick Pentz | Brondby IF |
| GK | Alexander Schlager | RB Salzburg |
| GK | Florian Wiegele | Viktoria Plzeň |
| DF | David Affengruber | Elche |
| DF | David Alaba | Real Madrid |
| DF | Kevin Danso | Tottenham Hotspur |
| DF | Marco Friedl | Werder Bremen |
| DF | Philipp Lienhart | SC Freiburg |
| DF | Phillipp Mwene | Mainz 05 |
| DF | Stefan Posch | Mainz 05 |
| DF | Alexander Prass | TSG Hoffenheim |
| DF | Michael Svoboda | Venezia |
| MF | Christoph Baumgartner | RB Leipzig |
| MF | Carney Chukwuemeka | Borussia Dortmund |
| MF | Florian Grillitsch | SC Braga |
| MF | Konrad Laimer | Bayern München |
| MF | Marcel Sabitzer | Borussia Dortmund |
| MF | Xaver Schlager | RB Leipzig |
| MF | Nicolas Seiwald | RB Leipzig |
| MF | Romano Schmid | Werder Bremen |
| MF | Alessandro Schöpf | Wolfsberger AC |
| MF | Paul Wanner | PSV Eindhoven |
| MF | Patrick Wimmer | VfL Wolfsburg |
| FW | Marko Arnautovic | Crvena Zvezda |
| FW | Michael Gregoritsch | Augsburg |
| FW | Sasa Kalajdzic | LASK |
Squad source: https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/news/2026-world-cup-squads-confirmed-rosters-for-all-48-teams (final lists can change right before the tournament).
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Q. How many times has Austria reached the World Cup? This is Austria's 8th appearance, and their first since France 1998.
Q. Who are Austria's group opponents? Group J: Argentina, Algeria and Jordan. Austria open against Jordan on 16 June.
Q. What is Austria's best World Cup result? Third place at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland. After a long absence, Rangnick's side are back on the main stage in 2026.
Q. Who is the head coach? Ralf Rangnick. His Austria side are defined by high pressing, quick transitions and the collective discipline that made them one of Euro 2024's most exciting teams.
