Spain - Austria / 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the Spain vs. Austria match in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, which can also be watched live on JOJ play, kicks off at 9:00 PM CET.

The first knockout round of the World Cup promises an incredibly captivating clash in Los Angeles, California. Our neighbors to the west, Austria, narrowly escaped elimination in their final group stage match, but their reward is a spot in the Round of 16, where they face one of the most technically advanced teams in the entire tournament – the star-studded Spanish squad.

The representatives from the Iberian Peninsula, along with co-hosts Mexico, are the only teams in the tournament to boast a fantastic record of clean sheets. Despite their impenetrable defense, critical voices occasionally emerge back home regarding their playing style, but the true strength of this team traditionally reveals itself in the knockout stages.

Spain dropped points in the group stage in their opening match against debutants Cape Verde, drawing 0-0, where they failed to convert their immense territorial dominance into a goal. They proved they hadn't forgotten how to score less than a week later against Saudi Arabia, whom they thrashed 4-0, deciding the match's fate with three goals in the opening 24 minutes.

For their third match, they moved from Atlanta to Zapopan, Mexico, where in a tactical battle against Uruguay (1-0), they delivered a more cautious performance with minimal chances, ultimately decided by a glaring error from the opposing goalkeeper, Muslera. Winger Nico Williams is once again out of luck, having unfortunately suffered another injury that will keep him out of the tournament, with Yeremy Pino also joining the injury list.

Austrian footballers made history by advancing from the World Cup group stage after an incredible 72 years, but it took very little for everything to turn out differently. They entered the tournament with an important 3-1 victory over Jordan, although the public expected a smoother ride, as they secured the win with two goals in the final 15 minutes.

In their second outing against the reigning champions Argentina (0-2), they were significantly aided in the 9th minute by the favorite's missed penalty. However, despite a spirited second-half performance, they left the pitch without a point and without any clear-cut chances.

In the crucial third match against Algeria, they needed to secure a point. Although they led twice in a wild game, they conceded in the third minute of added time, making it 2-3 after an incredible, more than hundred-pass carousel from the African team. Just when it seemed all was lost, coach Ralf Rangnick sent on the tall Saša Kalajdžič, who equalized in the dying seconds of the heart-stopping match, making it 3-3.

In the Round of 16 at the Los Angeles stadium, the Austrians have absolutely nothing to lose, which makes them an extremely dangerous opponent. While Spain clearly dominated the last two head-to-head matches, winning 4-0 at home in the qualifiers and triumphing 5-1 in a subsequent friendly in Vienna, the quality of Austrian football has significantly improved since then. Tactically, Spain is expected to take control of the ball from the start and push their opponents deep into their own half.