Austria's World Cup Qualification: What Are Their Chances?

Austria has played in seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998. They were in contention for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but their dreams were dashed when they lost 2-1 to Wales in the playoff semi-final. This result meant that Austria did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

Austria's best World Cup performance: third place in 1954

Austria has participated in the FIFA World Cup seven times. The country's best performance was in 1954, when they finished in third place.

The 1954 FIFA World Cup was the fifth edition of the tournament and was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Austria's road to the semi-finals included a 5-0 victory over Czechoslovakia and a 7-5 win over the hosts, Switzerland, in the quarter-finals. The quarter-final match set a record for the highest number of goals scored in a World Cup match, with 12 goals scored in total.

In the semi-finals, Austria faced West Germany, who beat them 6-1. Austria then went on to defeat Uruguay in the third-place match. This tournament marked Austria's return to the World Cup after a hiatus since their previous participation in 1934.

Austria's 1934 World Cup campaign: came fourth

Austria's 1934 World Cup campaign was a strong one, as they reached the semi-finals and ultimately came fourth. The 1934 World Cup was the second edition of the FIFA World Cup, and it took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934. Thirty-two nations entered the competition, and 16 teams qualified for the final tournament.

Austria's World Cup journey began with a match against France. The game was a close one, with Austria drawing level on the brink of half-time thanks to a goal from star player Matthias Sindelar. The second half was uneventful, and the match went to extra time—the first time this had happened in World Cup history. Austria prevailed in extra time, scoring twice before France got a late second goal from the spot. The final score was 3-2 to Austria.

In the quarter-finals, Austria faced Hungary. Austria took an early lead with Johann Horvath, who finished a well-organised team move. They doubled their lead in the early stages of the second half. Shortly after, Hungary got one back thanks to a penalty caused by Karl Sesta. The match hung in the balance until Hungary lost two players: Imre Markos was sent off and István Avar got injured. After that, Austria comfortably cruised to victory.

In the semi-finals, Austria faced Italy, the hosts and eventual champions. A torrential downpour hampered the Austrians' passing game, while benefiting the more varied Italian game. Italy took the lead when a ball broke free from the Austrian goalkeeper due to an intervention by Giuseppe Meazza. The ball then hit the post and was turned into the goal by Enrique Guaita. In the second half, Austrian efforts to equalize were stopped by Gianpiero Combi, and Italy held on for the victory.

In the third-place playoff, Austria faced Germany. Austrian players wore an unusual light blue jersey, borrowed from Napoli, due to a clash of colours with their opponents. Germany took the lead inside 25 seconds with the fastest goal of the tournament, scored by Ernst Lehner. They doubled their lead with a goal from Edmund Conen, but Austria got one back immediately after with Johann Horvath. Germany's third goal came after a mistake from Karl Sesta, and although Sesta scored a goal for Austria, Germany held on for the victory.

Austria's 1938 World Cup withdrawal: annexed by Germany

Austria has played in seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998. They also qualified for the 1938 World Cup, but withdrew after being annexed by Germany.

Austrias 1938 World Cup Withdrawal: Annexed by Germany

The 1938 World Cup was the third edition of the World Cup, a quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams. It was held in France from 4 to 19 June 1938. Austria had qualified for the tournament but was forced to withdraw after being annexed by Germany.

The Annexation of Austria

The annexation of Austria, also known as the Anschluss, took place on 12 March 1938, when the German Army crossed the border into Austria. This unification of Germany and Austria had been a long-standing idea, gaining support from many Austrian citizens, particularly those on the political left and center. However, by the time of the annexation, popular support for unification had faded.

Impact on the Austrian Football Team

As a result of the annexation, the Austrian Football Association was incorporated into the German system, and several Austrian players were called up to join the German national squad for the 1938 World Cup. This included Willibald Schmaus and goalkeeper Rudolf Raftl, who became the first players to represent two different nations at the FIFA World Cup. However, Austrian star player Matthias Sindelar refused to join the German team, citing his age and his patriotism.

The 1938 World Cup Outcome

The German/Austrian team played against Switzerland in their first match, resulting in a 1-1 draw. In the rematch, the Austrian striker Wilfried Hahnemann scored the opening goal, but the final score was 2-4, resulting in Germany's elimination from the tournament. This early exit was blamed on the Austrian players' lack of motivation by the German coach, Sepp Herberger.

Legacy and Impact

The forced unification of the Austrian players with the German team and their subsequent defeat was a reflection of the political tensions and power dynamics of the time, with fascist regimes seeking to use the World Cup as a platform for propaganda. The annexation of Austria and the impact on the 1938 World Cup also highlighted the complex interplay between sports and politics, a dynamic that continues to shape global sporting events.

Austria's 1998 World Cup qualification: last time they qualified

Austria has played in seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998. The 1998 World Cup was hosted by France and was the 16th edition of the tournament. Qualification for the finals began in March 1996 and concluded in November 1997. A total of 174 teams from six confederations participated, 24 more than in the previous round.

Austria was one of 14 countries that qualified from the European zone (UEFA), alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Ireland, and nine group winners. The qualification process consisted of nine groups, with four groups of six teams and five groups of five teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners qualified directly for the World Cup, while the runners-up were ranked according to their records. The team with the best record also qualified, and the remaining runners-up advanced to the UEFA playoffs.

Austria's performance in the 1998 World Cup was less successful. They failed to win a single match and were eliminated in the group stage. However, their participation in the 1998 World Cup remains significant as it was the last time they qualified for the tournament.

Austria's women's World Cup: 2027

Austria has a rich history of participating in the FIFA World Cup. The men's team has played in seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998.

The Austrian women's national football team, on the other hand, has had less success in World Cup participation. The team is controlled by the Austrian Football Association and is made up of players from the Austrian and German Women's Bundesligas.

In 2016, the women's team qualified for its first major tournament, UEFA Women's Euro 2017, and has since qualified for the 2022 and upcoming 2025 editions.

While there is limited information available specifically about Austria's participation in the 2027 Women's World Cup, it is likely that the team will aim to qualify and represent Austria in this prestigious tournament. The official squad list for the 2027 event is not yet available, but the team will undoubtedly be training and strategizing to put forth their best performance.

Austria's women's football team has come a long way since its first match in 1970, and their participation in the 2027 World Cup will be a testament to their dedication and growth in the sport.

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