Austria and Jordan will kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns on Wednesday when they face each other at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in a crucial Group J encounter.
Austria return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and arrive in excellent form under head coach Ralf Rangnick. The Europeans topped their qualifying group and have carried that momentum into the tournament, recording friendly victories over Ghana, South Korea and Tunisia.
A memorable late equaliser from Michael Gregoritsch against Bosnia & Herzegovina secured Austria’s qualification, and the Burschen now have their sights set on reaching the knockout stages for the first time since 1954.
Meanwhile, Jordan are preparing for a historic moment as they make their first-ever appearance at a FIFA World Cup. The Chivalrous Ones secured automatic qualification after finishing second in their AFC qualifying group and further showcased their progress by reaching the Arab Cup final.
However, Jordan head into the tournament struggling for form, having failed to win any of their last five matches. Despite that run, the Middle Eastern nation will be determined to make history and cause an upset against a confident Austrian side.
With tougher Group J fixtures against Argentina and Algeria still to come, both teams know that a positive result in their opening match could prove vital in the race for a place in the knockout rounds.
Team News
Austria were weakened by the injury to Christoph Baumgartner ahead of the tournament, with Dejan Ljubicic replacing him in the squad.
Patrick Wimmer, Florian Grillitsch and David Alaba are doubts to start the opening Group J game due to injury concerns, although the latter is anticipated to be named in the starting side.
As for Jordan, Ibrahim Sabra withdrew from the squad and was replaced by Mohammad Taha, while Yazan Al Naimat – who scored eight goals during World Cup qualifying – is not involved due to an injury that has ruled him out since December.
In Al Naimat’s absence, Mousa Tamari, Ali Olwan and Odeh Fakhoury are likely to start as the front three in Sellami’s 3-4-3 system.
Possible lineups
Austria possible starting lineup:
A Schlager; Laimer, Lienhart, Alaba, Mwene; X Schalger, Seiwald; Schmid, Sabitzer, Gregoritsch; Arnautovic
Jordan possible starting lineup:
Abulaila; Obaid, Al-Arab, Nasib; Haddad, Al Rashdan, Al Rawabdeh, Taha; Tamari, Olwan, Fakhouri
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport |
| Live Stream | DSTV stream |
| Kick-off Time | 5am (WAT) |
Match predictions
Softfootball predicts Austria 2-1 Jordan
Austria will be expected to dominate possession and apply sustained pressure on the opposition’s backline, and given Jordan have conceded at least two goals in all of their last five games, Rangnick’s side should enjoy plenty of success going forward and ultimately secure the victory.
