Spain vs Austria - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Fighting for the close to conscionable Portugal oregon Croatia successful a blockbuster last-16 tie, Spain and Austria fastener horns successful the past 32 of the 2026 World Cup astatine the SoFi Stadium connected Thursday evening.

The reigning European champions topped Group H to gain a day with Das Team, who claimed a respectable 2nd spot successful Group J down existent Mundial masters Argentina.

Match preview

Backed to comfortably advancement arsenic Group H winners by the best betting sites for the World Cup, Spain followed the presumption quo aft a disappointing opening gully with Cape Verde, taking 7 points from 9 connected connection portion conceding a expansive full of zero goals.

Assuring themselves of a knockout spot astatine the disbursal of Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay, La Roja edged retired their South American counterparts 1-0 connected the last matchday acknowledgment to an Alex Baena winner, but it was De la Fuente's defence that stole the show.

Not lone person Spain posted a 100% cleanable expanse grounds successful North America truthful far, the European champions are yet to look a first-half changeable connected target, portion they person not conceded much than six shots successful immoderate of their past 5 World Cup matches - conscionable 1 of 2 teams to bash truthful since 1966 aft Argentina successful 2022.

La Roja's bonzer unbeaten tally present stands astatine 34 matches successful each competitions - excluding penalty-shootout losses - conscionable 1 shy of their nationalist squad grounds of 35 acceptable betwixt 2007 and 2009 and besides wrong touching region of the all-time champion ever.

Italy's triumphant Euro 2020 squad holds the existent grounds for the longest unbeaten tally successful men's planetary shot - an unparalleled 37 games - but La Roja are dense favourites to adjacent the spread further connected Thursday night.

The gates were mostly slammed unopen during Uruguay vs. Spain, but the goals flowed successful Austria's engrossing last radical game, 1 successful which Ralf Rangnick's men sealed a last-32 spot by the tegument of the tegument of their teeth.

Had Riyad Mahrez's brace proved decisive for Algeria, Austria would person been heading retired successful 3rd spot owing to an inferior extremity quality to chap bronze medallists Senegal, but towering striker Sasa Kalajdzic nodded location a 96th-minute equaliser successful a 3-3 gully to prolong Austria's Mundial journey.

Clinching 2nd spot connected extremity quality implicit Algeria - who besides progressed - Austria caput into the knockout rounds knowing that a portion of World Cup past is theirs; they are the archetypal squad to ever debar decision successful a World Cup lucifer aft falling down successful second-half stoppage time.

Das Team's second-placed decorativeness ended a 72-year exile from the World Cup knockout rounds, having failed to beforehand beyond a archetypal oregon 2nd radical signifier since the 1954 tournament, erstwhile they bushed Switzerland 7-5 successful a quarter-final epic earlier losing 6-1 to West Germany successful the semis.

Austria besides person to question backmost to the past millennium for their astir caller triumph implicit Spain - a 3-2 affable occurrence successful 1990 - but the 2 European rivals person not clashed since 2009, erstwhile David Villa struck doubly successful a 5-1 Roja romping.

Spain World Cup form:

Spain signifier (all competitions):

Austria World Cup form:

Austria signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Spain's rearguard resilience has travel to the fore astatine an perfect time, arsenic De la Fuente has been hamstrung by attacking injuries to Yeremy Pino (shoulder), Nico Williams (adductor) and Victor Munoz (thigh), each of whom are astatine hazard of missing the last-32 match.

Liverpool-bound Munoz seemingly has the champion accidental of being available, but Baena should not cede his spot connected the left-hand broadside aft coming up with the decisive infinitesimal against Uruguay - his archetypal extremity for the nationalist squad since October 2024.

De la Fuente's lone enactment dilemma comes successful the mediate of the park, wherever Mikel Merino was fixed the motion against Uruguay, but Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo and Gavi are each competing to displace the Arsenal man.

On the Austrian end, veterans Marko Arnautovic and David Alaba were a small worse for deterioration pursuing the six-goal thriller with Algeria, but neither antheral is thought to beryllium suffering from thing much superior than insignificant genu discomfort.

Rangnick different has nary concerns whatsoever for Thursday night, erstwhile Kevin Danso and Michael Gregoritsch volition beryllium connected standby to regenerate Alaba and Arnautovic if request be; Kalajdzic's heroics are improbable to enactment him successful the framework for a start.

Spain imaginable starting lineup:

Simon; Llorente, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Merino, Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Oyarzabal, Baena

Austria imaginable starting lineup:

A. Schlager; Posch, Lienhart, Alaba, Mwene; Siewald, X. Schlager; Laimer, Schmid, Sabitzer; Arnautovic

We say: Spain 2-0 Austria

While Spain person been unyielding defensively astatine the World Cup truthful far, the Mundial unit seems to get the amended of Austria, who person failed to support a cleanable expanse successful 12 consecutive matches astatine the competition.

Therefore, adjacent with their wounded concerns successful attack, La Roja should capitalise connected Rangnick's rearguard frailties and advancement to the past 16 without excessively overmuch trouble.

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