Ralf Rangnick has confirmed Austria’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with David Alaba set to lead the nation into its first global finals since 1998.
The Real Madrid defender headlines a squad built around experience, quality and recent momentum. Veteran forwards Marko Arnautovic and Michael Gregoritsch have both been included, while Marcel Sabitzer also brings leadership and big-game pedigree to Rangnick’s midfield.
Austria’s squad also features two notable new additions. Carney Chukwuemeka and Paul Wanner, who switched international allegiance from England and Germany respectively in March, have both been selected for the tournament.
Alaba leads experienced Austria squad
Alaba remains the biggest name in the group and will be central to Austria’s hopes after a long wait to return to the World Cup stage. Rangnick has also kept faith with several established players who helped guide the team through a dramatic qualifying campaign.
In goal, Patrick Pentz, Alexander Schlager and Florian Wiegele have been chosen. The defensive group includes Alaba, Kevin Danso, Philipp Lienhart, Stefan Posch, Marco Friedl, David Affengruber, Phillipp Mwene, Alexander Prass and Michael Svoboda.
Midfield is one of Austria’s strongest areas, with Sabitzer joined by Konrad Laimer, Christoph Baumgartner, Florian Grillitsch, Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, Romano Schmid, Alessandro Schopf, Patrick Wimmer, Chukwuemeka and Wanner.
Up front, Rangnick has selected Arnautovic, Gregoritsch and Sasa Kalajdzic.
The squad remains provisional until FIFA confirms the final lists submitted by participating nations on June 2.
How Austria secured their return?
Austria’s road to the World Cup was filled with tension. Five straight qualifying wins put Rangnick’s side in control of Group H with three matches remaining, but a late defeat to Romania reopened the race.
A win over Cyprus moved Austria to within touching distance of qualification, but Bosnia and Herzegovina’s victory on the same matchday set up a decisive final showdown in Vienna.
That night began badly for Austria when Haris Tabakovic gave Bosnia an early lead after just 12 minutes. Rangnick’s team pushed forward and dominated the chances, but Bosnia’s defence held firm for much of the match.
The breakthrough finally came in the 77th minute, when Gregoritsch reacted inside the penalty area and forced home the equaliser. The goal was enough to secure Austria’s long-awaited return to the World Cup and spark wild celebrations in the capital.
Now, after nearly three decades away from the tournament, Austria will head to the 2026 World Cup with belief, experience and one of the country’s greatest players leading the way.
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