Austria vs Jordan Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Austria are heading back to a FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1988 as they take on debutants Jordan in their opening game in Group J.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website & app / USA – FOX One
Austria preview: Strong Austrians
Coached by former Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick, Austria won the hearts of many a couple of years ago at UEFA EURO 2024. Their energetic and entertaining style was undermined by a general ineffectiveness, though, that saw them knocked out by Turkiye in the round of 16.
They have dipped in terms of their performance levels since then. The Austrians needed a last-day come-from-behind win against Bosnia and Herzegovina to qualify from what did initially look to be quite a soft draw for them in the autumn.
Austria head into the summer on the back of playing just one friendly in the immediate build-up, edging past Tunisia by a goal to nil after going down to ten men in the first-half due to a Konrad Laimer red card.
Jordan preview: Surprise qualifiers
Tunisian boss Jamal Sellami has led what does appear to be a fairly average Jordan side to their first ever FIFA World Cup. The gulf state finished second by Korea Republic in the third round of AFC qualification for the tournament.
Outside of versatile Stade Rennais attacker Mousa Al Tamari, it would be reasonable to suggest that the Jordanians do not possess too much quality and, in what is a tough group for them, sitting back in order to seek control and avoiding hammerings will likely to be their go-to approach.
Jordan have put in some poor performances in the build-up. Al Tamari seemed to defy Sellami's instructions in terms of pressing against Switzerland as they succumbed to a 4-1 loss before then being beaten 2-0 by Colombia a few days' later.
Austria team news: Replacing Baumgartner
As has been the case for the last few years, Austria have not necessarily been reliant on the versatile Christoph Baumgartner in the final third but he is a key man and was perhaps their most important attacker but he has had to withdraw due to injury.
Ralf Rangnick does still boast an experienced squad and that is particularly the case in midfield with an importance on Konrad Laimer and Marcel Sabitzer to manage and control the game.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): A. Schlager; Posch, Lienhart, Alaba, Prass; Laimer, Seiwald; Wimmer, Sabitzer, Schmid; Arnautovic
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Jordan team news: Sabra withdrawal
Lokomotiva Zagreb attacker Ibrahim Sadra has withdrawn from the squad ahead of the tournament, while Yazan Al Naimat missed out on the squad before the campaign due to injury.
Jamal Sellami said he was very happy with the performance of his side against Colombia and it did appear as though that eleven was their first-choice lineup so they may well be unchanged with no fresh injury issues at the time of writing.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Abulaila; Nasib, Al Arab, Obaid; Haddad, Al Rashdan, Al Rawabdeh, Abu Taha; Al Tamari, Olwan, Al Fakhouri
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Austria’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Marcel Sabitzer ($6.8m) – Midfielder
Carney Chukwuemeka ($5.0m) – Midfielder
Michael Gregoritsch ($6.0m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Marcel Sabitzer
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Marko Arnautovic, Marcel Sabitzer
Free kicks: Marcel Sabitzer
Corners: David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer
Jordan’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Yazan Al Arab ($3.7m) – Defender
Ehsan Haddad ($3.5m) – Defender
Mousa Al-Tamari ($5.6m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Mousa Al-Tamari
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Ali Olwan
Free kicks: Musa Al-Taamari, Ali Olwan
Corners: Musa Al-Taamari, Mahmoud Al-Mardi
Key stats
- Austria have returned to the FIFA World Cup stage for the first time since 1998 and make their eighth tournament appearance at the 2026 finals.
- Two-time semi-finalists, Austria finished fourth in 1934 and clinched the final podium place in 1954. Since then, they have only advanced beyond the first stage once – reaching the second group phase at the 1982 edition of FIFA’s flagship tournament.
- Austria have lost their opening match in only two of their seven previous FIFA World Cup participations (W4 D1).
- Jordan made history by securing a place at the FIFA World Cup for the very first time.
- Qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026 comes on the back of Jordan’s landmark run to the AFC Asian Cup final in early 2024, the first time they had reached the decider, where they were beaten by hosts and defending champions Qatar. They also reached the final of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, losing in extra‑time to Morocco.
- At 37 years and 58 days, Marko Arnautovic could become the oldest player to make a FIFA World Cup appearance for Austria, surpassing Michael Konsel, who was 36 years and 109 days when he faced Italy on 23/06/1998.
Click here for EVEN MORE stats & facts about this fixture!
Austria vs Jordan prediction
Alongside Argentina and Algeria, this is a tough group for Jordan but also does heap the pressure on an Austria side that haven't been fluent for a while now. Austria have to get off to a winning start and, ahead of their tougher games to come, they could do with winning it well. Jordan will seek to frustrate them and it may not be a thriller for the neutral but the Europeans should get themselves an early three points on the board with a win in the San Francisco Bay Area. It could well be a good thing for Jordan that they suffered that hammering at the hands of the Swiss because it may help Sellami to lay down the law and impose his cautious approach with a bit more effectiveness than in that game.
Austria vs Jordan betting tip: Austria to win & under 3.5 goals
