Austria name veteran striker Marko Arnautovic in their World Cup squad as Ralf Rangnick blends experience with exciting young talent.
Austria have named their 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with veteran striker Marko Arnautovic leading the attack as the nation prepares for its first appearance at the tournament in 28 years. Head coach Ralf Rangnick announced the squad on Monday, blending experienced leaders with several exciting young talents.
The Austrians head to North America carrying growing expectations after impressive recent progress under Rangnick. Austria are placed in Group J, where they will face Jordan, Argentina and Algeria in the opening phase of the tournament.
At 37, Arnautovic remains the face of Austria’s attack. The former West Ham United and Stoke City striker enters the tournament with 47 international goals in 132 appearances, making him both the country’s all-time appearance leader and one of its most reliable scorers.
Rangnick has also leaned heavily on experienced figures across the spine of the team. Real Madrid defender David Alaba captains the side despite an injury-hit season in Spain, while Marcel Sabitzer and Konrad Laimer provide leadership and energy in midfield.
Kevin Danso’s inclusion gives Austria added defensive steel after the Tottenham Hotspur defender enjoyed another strong Premier League campaign. Austria conceded only seven goals during qualification and kept four clean sheets in their final six competitive matches.
While experience forms the foundation, Rangnick’s squad also reflects Austria’s long-term vision. Newly naturalised midfielders Paul Wanner and Carney Chukwuemeka were both included after committing their international futures to Austria earlier this year. Chukwuemeka, who plays for Borussia Dortmund, impressed during March friendlies and scored in Austria’s 5-1 win over Ghana. Wanner also arrives with growing hype after a strong campaign with PSV Eindhoven.
Teenage and emerging talent has become a major talking point around the national team setup. Rangnick’s aggressive pressing system demands athleticism, technical quality and positional discipline, qualities both youngsters bring naturally.
Austria’s midfield depth could become a major strength at the tournament. Sabitzer, Laimer, Nicolas Seiwald, Christoph Baumgartner and Xaver Schlager give Rangnick multiple tactical options against stronger opponents.
Austria’s squad announcement also included several notable absentees. Injuries ruled out regular defenders Gernot Trauner and Maximilian Wober despite both returning to club action late in the season. Rangnick admitted fitness concerns ultimately influenced his final selections. The Austria boss stressed the importance of choosing players physically capable of surviving a long tournament schedule.
“We want to go as far as possible at the World Cup,” Rangnick said after unveiling the squad.
Austria’s defensive structure has become one of the team’s defining strengths under the former Manchester United interim manager. They topped their Euro 2024 group ahead of France and the Netherlands, while their World Cup qualification campaign included a record-breaking 10-0 victory over San Marino.
Arnautovic is expected to start alongside Michael Gregoritsch and Sasa Kalajdzic in a relatively small forward unit. Austria named only three recognised strikers in the squad. The team’s success may depend heavily on midfield creativity and defensive organisation. Austria averaged 2.4 goals per game during qualification and produced some of their strongest performances against top European opposition.
Attention will now shift towards their opening World Cup clash against Jordan. Austria then face tournament favourites Argentina before concluding the group stage against Algeria. Rangnick’s side arrive carrying momentum, belief and a growing reputation as one of Europe’s most organised international teams.
Goalkeepers: Alexander Schlager (RB Salzburg), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Plzen), Patrick Pentz (Brondby)
Defenders: David Affengruber (Elche), Kevin Danso (Tottehham), Stefan Posch (Mainz 05), David Alaba (Real Madrid), Philipp Lienhart (SC Freiburg), Philipp Mwene (Mainz 05), Alexander Prass (TSG Hoffenheim), Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen), Michael Svoboda (Venezia)
Midfielders: Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Grillitsch (Braga), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg), Paul Wanner (PSV Eindhoven), Alessandro Schopf (Wolfsberger AC)
Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (Red Star Belgrade), Michael Gregoritsch (FC Augsburg), Sasa Kalajdzic (LASK Linz)
Manager: Ralf Rangnick
