Argentina - Austria / 2026 FIFA World Cup

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the Argentina vs. Austria match in Group J of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, which can also be watched live on JOJ play, kicks off at 7:00 PM CET.

The second group stage fixture pits two teams with perfect records from the opening round against each other. The clash between Argentina and Austria will most likely determine not only the group winner but also the first team to secure a spot in the knockout stage.

Defending champions Argentina immediately lived up to their favorites tag. They comfortably defeated Algeria 3-0, despite not dominating the overall statistics. Absolute efficiency was key – while the South Americans registered six shots on target, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez wasn't forced into a single save.

Lionel Messi stole the show throughout the match. Just three days before his 39th birthday, he notched a hat-trick, becoming the oldest player in World Cup history to do so, with his third goal reminiscent of his most glorious days. With 16 goals, he has now drawn level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time World Cup scoring charts. The defense remains a highlight, having conceded only once in seven preparatory matches and keeping a clean sheet for the fourth consecutive time. Furthermore, Julián Álvarez, returning from injury, revitalized the attack after the break.

The Austrians navigated qualification without difficulty, securing direct progression by winning their group. In this year's warm-up matches, they remained undefeated in three games, successively overcoming Ghana (5-1), South Korea (1-0), and in their final friendly, Tunisia (1-0), where they managed to score the decisive goal despite a 37th-minute red card.

However, their World Cup opener against Jordan (3-1) proved more challenging than anticipated. After a promising first half and a lead, the more active opponent unexpectedly equalized after the break. Substitute Marko Arnautović provided the redemption – his challenge led to an own goal, and he sealed the triumph from the penalty spot in the 12th minute of added time. Christoph Baumgartner was noticeably absent in midfield, with Romano Schmid from Bremen stepping in to replace him.

Archives show only one friendly match between these two teams 36 years ago, which ended in a 1-1 draw.