Austria's football team: World Cup test matches planned in Vienna and Marbella!

Austria's football team: World Cup test matches planned in Vienna and Marbella!

The Austrian national team's preparations for the 2026 World Cup are now really gaining momentum. The Austrian Football Association has announced the opponents for the World Cup preparation games. These matches take place at the popular Happel Stadium in Vienna and are seen as a crucial step on the way to the World Cup.

On March 27th, the Austrian selection will face Ghana, followed by a duel against South Korea on March 31st, a safer participant in the upcoming tournament. The third friendly is scheduled for June 1 against Tunisia, which is considered a particularly important test for the following game against Algeria in the group stage. The fourth friendly will take place between June 8th and 10th in the Los Angeles area, but the opponent has not yet been determined.

A training camp in Marbella

Before the first test matches take place, a four-day training camp in Marbella is planned. The players can expect pleasant temperatures there, which will certainly ensure better preparation. The ÖFB campus in Vienna has even created good conditions on the training pitches with grass heating in case the weather back home doesn't cooperate. The ÖFB's sporting management made a targeted selection of test match opponents. According to Weekend, the opponents were selected in close coordination with the sporting leadership in order to optimally adjust the team.

There is worrying news, especially for the player Marcel Sabitzer. He could face a lengthy injury spell due to a calf injury. Although initial investigations did not reveal anything serious, the return to regular operations could still take some time.

The challenges ahead

However, there were also setbacks in the planning. An originally planned game against Ecuador was canceled. The reason for this was economic considerations, as the entry fees that Ecuador had demanded were not affordable for the ÖFB. This financial hurdle led to them turning to other opponents.

The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11th in the USA, Mexico and Canada. In its group phase, Austria is divided into Jordan, Argentina and Algeria, among others. The group draw, which will take place on December 5, 2025 in the USA, will play a central role here, as it has a direct impact on the further planning of the ÖFB team. In order to start the tournament well prepared, the upcoming test games are of immense importance in order to further consolidate processes and tactical strategies.

Overall, the signs are good that the Austrian national team will start the next few months well prepared. Everyone involved knows: Now it's time to set the course for a successful World Cup and impress with a strong performance.

You can find more information about the ÖFB team's preparations in the reports from Peter Linden and fussball-weltmeister-2026.de read.