Spain vs Austria Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Round of 32
European champions Spain failed to convince in the group stages as they now head into a Round of 32 clash against Austria in Los Angeles on Thursday.
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
Spain preview: Finding their form
Luis de la Fuente has done an excellent job in charge of Spain, winning the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League and then UEFA EURO 2024, but La Roja have lacked fluency at this tournament thus far, despite topping Group H with seven points collected from their three group stage matches.
The Spanish began with an infamous goalless draw against debutant minnows Cabo Verde before they did eventually find some attacking rhythm, albeit not for too long, in a 4-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia before edging out an underwhelming and poor Uruguay side in Guadalajara.
Austria preview: Dramatic end
Ralf Rangnick and his Austria side have made it into the knockout stages of FIFA World Cup 2026 after finishing as runners-up in Group J but it did look as though they would be eliminated when they went behind against Algeria.
In a bizarre game where a draw suited both sides, Algeria and Austria played out a surprising thriller and one in which Riyad Mahrez gave Algeria a late lead that would have eliminated the Austrians before former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Sasa Kalajdzic snatched an equaliser deep into second-half stoppage-time.
Spain team news: Attacking injuries
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Nico Williams appeared to have fought his way back to full fitness but he has now suffered a setback. Yeremy Pino is also unavailable for at least a couple of games, if not more, with a shoulder injury.
New Liverpool signing Victor Munoz has been sidelined due to his own injury but does appear to be working his way back to full fitness, while the onus on Lamine Yamal to reach his peak after his own injury issues is now imperative.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Simon; Llorente, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Gavi; Oyarzabal
Unavailable: Pino (Injured), Williams (Fitness)
Questionable: Munoz (Injured)
Austria team news: Veteran doubts
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Towards the end of their group stage slog against the Algerians, veterans David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic both appeared to be dealing with slight fitness issues but both are expected to be available for this one.
Carney Chukwuemeka will be pushing for a start and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him come in with Konrad Laimer dropping back to do something of an ‘old school’ man-marking job on Lamine Yamal.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): A. Schlager; Posch, Lienhart, Alaba, Laimer; Seiwald, X. Schlager; Schmid, Chukwuemeka, Sabitzer; Arnautovic
Unavailable:
Questionable: Alaba (Injured), Arnautovic (Injured)
Spain’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Aymeric Laporte ($5.5m) – Defender
Marc Cucurella ($5.1m) – Defender
Lamine Yamal ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Matchday 4 captain pick: Lamine Yamal
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal, Rodri
Free kicks: Pedri, Lamine Yamal
Corners: Lamine Yamal, Pedri
Austria’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
David Alaba ($4.6m) – Defender
Marcel Sabitzer ($6.8m) – Midfielder
Marko Arnautovic ($6.0m) – Forward
Matchday 4 captain pick: Marko Arnautovic
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Marko Arnautovic, Marcel Sabitzer
Free kicks: Marcel Sabitzer
Corners: David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer
Key stats
- The only previous World Cup encounter between the sides was a 2-1 victory for Austria in the 1978 group stage.
- Across 16 meetings, Spain lead the head‑to‑head against Austria with nine wins to four, along with three draws. Their most recent encounter was a 5-1 Spanish victory in a November 2009 friendly in Vienna.
- Spain are winless in their last four World Cup matches against European sides (D3 L1).
- Spain are unbeaten in regular time in their last 33 matches (W24 D9) in a run stretching back to a 0-1 defeat to Colombia in a friendly in London on 22 March 2024.
- Austria are winless in their last six World Cup matches against European sides (D1 L5), since a 3-2 victory over Germany FR in the second round group stage in 1978.
- Austria have lost only two of their last seven World Cup matches (W2 D3).
- This is Austria’s first involvement in knockout action at the World Cup since 1954, when they finished in third place.
Click here for EVEN MORE stats & facts about this fixture!
Spain vs Austria prediction
Spain do not look like the same team that romped their way through Germany and to the UEFA EURO 2024 trophy but Luis de la Fuente will be confident that they can turn things on as they hit the knockout stages.
Austria play an intense and aggressive style of football, which is perhaps limited in a technical aspect and was shown by needing to work hard to eventually overthrow Jordan and pull Algeria back, either side of a hard-working and attritional 2-0 defeat to Argentina.
That does, though, perhaps suggest they are suited to sitting in and trying to simply press the passing style of the Spanish. Spain do remain favourites but it may not be a thriller for the neutral in California.
Spain vs Austria betting tip: Spain to win & under 3.5 goals
