Rangnick Warns Austria Not to Underestimate Debutants Jordan

Austria's head coach, Ralf Rangnick, is concerned his team could become the latest European nation to be "surprised" by an Asian opponent at the 2026 World Cup if they fail to perform at their best against debutants Jordan on Tuesday.

Last week, the Czech Republic suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Korea, before Australia spoiled Turkey's World Cup finals return with a 2-0 victory. Japan then drew 2-2 with the Netherlands on Sunday, and Group B favorites Switzerland were unconvincing in their 1-1 draw with Qatar, four years after the Gulf nation exited the 2022 tournament winless as hosts.

"We've seen many surprises during this World Cup. If you look at the matches and results, we have 12 draws and only 6 wins. No South American team has won yet. Our upcoming match against Jordan won't be an easy victory. They will be an awkward opponent. They will try to make us take the initiative and then look to exploit open spaces for counter-attacks. That's what we expect from them tomorrow," Rangnick told reporters at San Francisco Stadium, where Austria faces Jordan in their opening Group J match on Wednesday at 7:00 AM Bulgarian time.

Austria will end their 28-year World Cup absence two years after an encouraging run at Euro 2024, where they topped their group before losing to Turkey in the round of 16.

A strong start against Jordan could prove crucial if Rangnick's squad hopes to advance from a challenging group that also includes Algeria and reigning champions Argentina. Austria suffered a pre-tournament blow with the loss of central midfielder Christoph Baumgartner due to a thigh injury – a player who embodies their aggressive pressing style.

Rangnick offered no hints about his starting lineup but confirmed he has settled on the 11 players for the Jordan clash and that his entire squad is in good health. The match kicks off at 9:00 PM local time. In the cool Bay Area evening, players might not need hydration breaks in each half, but Rangnick is a fan of them.

"This is a positive for me as a coach because I can talk to the players, I can give them advice. Tomorrow, there will be approximately 65,000 people in the stadium. It will be very loud, so otherwise, I can't reach the players and talk to them. So, it will be an advantage that the team can regroup and make adjustments if needed," the German coach stated.