Austria ends 28-year World Cup drought with win over Jordan

Austria returned to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 28 years with a victory over tournament debutant Jordan in their Group J opener on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The match, played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, ended Austria's absence from the global tournament that stretched back to 1998.

The result provides a crucial start for Ralf Rangnick's side in a difficult group that also includes reigning champion Argentina and Algeria. Ahead of the match, Rangnick had emphasized that his team could not afford to underestimate their opponent, pointing to several surprising results for Asian confederation teams already in the tournament. He described Jordan as an uncomfortable opponent likely to absorb pressure and counterattack.

Austria's return was built on a successful qualifying campaign where they topped their UEFA group and was followed by a run to the knockout stages of the 2024 European Championship. The team's preparation, however, was impacted by a significant injury, with central midfielder Christoph Baumgartner ruled out of the tournament due to a thigh injury. Veteran defender David Alaba was expected to be fit to start despite some pre-tournament...