Austria World Cup 2026: Das Team are back in the big time

Ralf Rangnick has guided Austria to their first FIFA World Cup since 1998, following on from strong performances at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.

I’ve looked at the Austria World Cup 2026 odds ahead of this summer’s tournament, and how far they could potentially go.

Goalkeepers: Patrick Pentz (Brondby), Alexander Schlager (RB Salzburg), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Pilsen)

Defenders: David Affengruber (Elche, David Alaba (Real Madrid), Kevin Danso (Tottenham Hotspur), Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), Phillipp Mwene (Mainz), Stefan Posch (Mainz), Alexander Prass (Hoffenheim), Michael Svoboda (Venezia)

Midfielders: Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Grillitsch (Braga), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig) , Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Alessandro Schopf (RZ Pellets WAC), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Paul Wanner (PSV Eindhoven), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg)

Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (Red Star Belgrade, Michael Gregoritsch (Augsburg), Sasa Kalajdzic (LASK)

It was a straightforward road for Austria to qualify for this summer’s tournament – they won six games, drew once and scored 22 goals, conceding just four.

Das Team have won 11 of their 18 fixtures since the loss to Turkey in the last-16 of Euro 2024, which includes two impressive wins in March over Ghana and South Korea.

*Click here for the latest World Cup Odds

Rangnick, despite his difficulties in charge of Manchester United, is one of the most influential minds in modern football and is often credited with developing the ‘Gegenpressing’ tactic, influencing the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.

Now they’re back in the big time and will be desperate to upset the odds.

A difficult draw group-wise being paired with the reining champions Argentina, but Austria will fancy themselves to qualify automatically, as on paper, they’ve probably got the second-best squad in Group J.

Group J Fixtures:

17 June 9pm (18 June 5am BST) – vs Jordan (San Francisco)

22 June 12pm (6pm BST) – vs Argentina (Dallas)

28 June 9pm (29 June 3am BST) – vs Algeria (Kansas City)

Player to watch: Marko Arnautovic

Austria’s squad is made up of experienced core, and the player I’ve elected to watch is former Stoke City forward Marko Arnautovic.

At 36, Arnautovic remains a key cog in Rangnick’s system, netting eight times during qualifying, and look set to be handed a starting berth this summer.

*Click here for the latest Football Odds

Prediction: Quarter-finals

I believe that Austria will qualify from the group automatically, but it could come down to that final group-stage fixture against Algeria on 28 June.

The big advantage Austria have is opening their tournament against Jordan, and a big win there could build some momentum.