The Austrian team is rated higher than Jordan in the opening match of Group J of the 2026 World Cup. With a quality squad playing in top European leagues and stable form, the European representative has many opportunities to win all 3 points.
In Group J, in addition to Austria and Jordan, there are also Argentina and Algeria. Therefore, the result of the opening match will significantly affect the chances of both teams competing for a ticket to the next round.
Pre-match commentary
Austria entered the 2026 World Cup with great confidence after a successful qualifying campaign. Coach Ralf Rangnick's team won 6, drew 1 and only lost 1 match to top Group H in the European region, thereby winning a direct ticket to the finals.
The highlight in the qualifiers was Michael Gregoritsch's important goal in the draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina, helping Austria maintain the top spot in the group. Not only playing effectively in official matches, the red shirt team also maintained positive form in the preparation phase for the World Cup.
In the last three friendly matches, Austria successively defeated Ghana 5-1, South Korea 1-0 and Tunisia 1-0. A streak of 3 consecutive wins and 5 unbeaten matches shows the stability in the team's playing style under Rangnick.
Austria's strength comes from the combination of experience and squad quality. Names like David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer or Marko Arnautovic are all playing or have affirmed their class in top European tournaments.
Meanwhile, Jordan enters the 2026 World Cup as a newcomer. This is the first time in history that the West Asian team has qualified to participate in the biggest football festival on the planet.
Despite creating a memorable milestone, Jordan did not have the warm-up as desired. This team just suffered a defeat in the Arab Cup final against Morocco, and only drew 2 and lost 2 in the last 4 friendly matches.
Unstable form has caused Jordan to extend their winless streak to 5. Notably, this team has conceded at least 2 goals in the last 5 matches, showing worrying problems in the defense.
The most expected star on Jordan's side is still Mousa Al-Tamari. However, against Austria's experienced defense, this striker is likely to have many difficulties in creating a difference.
In terms of squad quality, international competition experience and current form, Austria is superior to Jordan. If they play to their full strength, the European representative can completely win with a score difference of two goals or more on the opening day.
Squad information
Austria is likely to use the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation with Marko Arnautovic playing highest in attack. Supporting the rear are Michael Gregoritsch, Marcel Sabitzer and Romano Schmid.
In the midfield, Xaver Schlager and Nicolas Seiwald are responsible for intercepting and regulating play. The defense is led by captain David Alaba.
On the Jordanian side, Mousa Al-Tamari continues to be the biggest hope in attack. Yazan Al-Naimat and Mahmoud Al-Mardi support him in counter-attack situations.
The Austria vs Jordan match in Group J of the 2026 World Cup will take place at 11:00 AM on June 17 (Vietnam time).
Expected lineup
Austria: Schlager; Laimer, Lienhart, Alaba, Mwene; Schlager, Seiwald; Schmid, Sabitzer, Gregoritsch; Arnautovic.
Jordan: Abulaila; Obaid, Al-Arab, Nasib; Haddad, Al Rashdan, Al Rawabdeh, Taha; Al-Tamari, Olwan, Fakhouri.
