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Austria v Jordan: World Cup 2026 – live | World Cup 2026
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Lance must be watching a different game to me with the query “who is the audience?”. “I’m watching from my apartment in San Francisco and can’t figure out why they started a game at midnight for most of the USA, Canada, and Mexico and 4am in Europe. Who’s watching this besides you in Australia? OTOH, the level of play deserves late night so maybe FIFA are geniuses.”
NO GOAL! Austria 1-1 Jordan
The referee determines that Stefan Posch handled the ball while trying to control it just a split second before Marko Arnautović tapped it into the back of the net. A huge call but looks like the right one to me. Now for an ill-timed hydration break
The referee has gone to the sideline to review the replay. All the focus is on the handball claim rather than any supposed contact with the keeper.
Hang on a second, VAR is looking at the replay. There wasn’t much contact on the keeper but the ball has perhaps brushed Stefan Posch’s arm before bouncing down to Arnautović’s feet.
GOAL! Austria 2-1 Jordan (Arnautović 68)
Marko Arnautović reclaims the lead for Austria as the calmest presence in the six-yard box amid a mad scramble off a corner.
65 min Yazeed Abulaila is back to his feet after some extra attention. It is hard to spot much contact from Arnautović on the replay.
63 min Carney Chukwuemeka is immediately involved in all the most exciting moments as he goes to ground in the penalty area but has any claims waved away. Shortly after Jordan keeper Yazeed Abulaila is the one to end up on the turf holding his face after next to know pressure from Marko Arnautović. The referee allows play to continue and Chukwuemeka fires a shot on target that is blocked by a sea of Jordan feet.
61 min Austria take time to settle back into their rhythm after the sweeping changes while Chukwuemeka already looks lively.
59 min A triple change for Austria with defender Kevin Danso joined by a pair of exciting new additions in Carney Chukwuemeka and Paul Wanner. Captain David Alaba, and midfielders Xaver Schlager and Phillipp Mwene are done for the day.
57 min Arnautović goes to ground in the defensive half to masterfully earn a free kick and relieve the pressure.
55 min No change to the familiar pattern as Odeh Al-Fakhouri twice finds space down the right side. Musa Al-Taamari and Ali Olwan time their run perfectly off the second chance but the cross is a touch deep and is collected by keeper Schlager.
53 min Austria slow the game down with Xaver Schlager and Nicolas Seiwald knocking the ball around the midfield and defensive line.
Ali Olwan creates something out of very little with a solo run to equalise for Jordan though the goal had been coming. Austria, on the other hand, have paid a huge price for leaving too much space in their defensive half even while holding a narrow lead. Game on!
GOAL! Austria 1-1 Jordan (Olwan 50)
Ali Olwan is giving too much room as he carries the ball from near the halfway line and into the penalty area, cuts on to his right boot and rockets the ball off the inside of the far post and into the net. The striker goes down in history as Jordan’s first World Cup goalscorer.
48 min Stefan Posch takes too much time to consider his options for a throw-in and the referee blows the whistle to hand the ball back to Jordan in their attacking half. That’s surely one of the better rules that Fifa has brought in for this World Cup.
47 min Ehsan Haddad shows Jordan are setting out to chase the game as the captain charges into space down the right and hammers a flat cross into the penalty area. The scramble sends the ball out to Odeh Al-Fakhouri to take it deep and to the goalline under little pressure. But the cutback ends up in keeper Schlager’s hands.
46 min Jordan resume the second half with the same XI players that began the first.
Austria are last to make their way out of the tunnel but veteran Marko Arnautović is already alone on the sidelines ready to enter the fray. Saša Kalajdžić makes way after a half where the final ball from his Austria teammates generally didn’t do him any few favours.
If the final word on the latest Kylian Mbappé masterclass isn’t enough to entertain you, Peter has stepped forward with a simple request: “After the next hydration break I’d like to see Austria take a couple of stiff schnaps shots at the Jordan goal.”
Jordan are far from out of this Group J clash against Austria and had their fair share of chances both before and after Schmid’s opening goal. We’ll be back shortly for the second half, but in the meantime here is some half-time reading from Leander Schaerlaeckens on the other side of the US at New York New Jersey Stadium.
After the whistle blew for half-time, Kylian Mbappé ran to the player tunnel at a good clip, followed by Ousmane Dembélé. Behind them, the rest of the French team were in no such hurry, sauntering off the pitch. The forward widely considered the best in the world – or at least the most famous in the Non-Ronaldo-and-Messi Division – and the reigning Ballon d’Or winner had much to discuss.
Austria hold the advantage at the break in a game that has largely followed the script, as they seek to control the ball in midfield and find a pass into towering forward Saša Kalajdžić’s feet, while Jordan are comfortable sitting back and waiting to unleash Musa Al-Taamari on the counter.
Romano Schmid curled shot from range in the 20th minute is a goal deserving of the lead though Jordan almost responded immediately with a shot that crashed off the crossbar. Austria lead Jordan for possession 58-42% though the shots on target favour the World Cup debutants 3-1 while both have had five chances sail wide.
Half time: Austria 1-0 Jordan
Romano Schmid’s rocket from outside the penalty area is all that separates the two sides in what has been an enthralling encounter filled with end-to-end football.
45+3 min Schmid has time to try to pick out a pass into the Austria attack where Kalajdžić is hovering ominously. A quick Jordan clearance sends Musa Al-Taamari on his way but the long hit ends up with keeper Schlager.
45+1 min Jordan continue to attack down their left where Mohannad Abu Taha offers width. Musa Al-Taamari soon sets off on a solo run from the right side and beats the first Austria defender to get a shot away with his left boot that drifts into the side netting. Four minutes of added time.
44 min Stefan Posch crunches Odeh Al-Fakhouri in the back as they compete for a high ball to hand Jordan another free kick in their attacking half. The overly elaborate set up wastes the chance.
42 min Jordan earn their own free kick in their attacking half where a flatter cross earns a corner – one of their key weapons.
41 min Austria win a free kick out of nothing in the midfield and take time to set up their attack. Alaba delivers a loop free kick for Kalajdžić to nod backwards where the Jordan defence are able to clear.
39 min Both keepers take their time with a goal kick with half-time coming in to view.
37 min Austria take some momentum out of the game with Jordan pressing hard in attack. The midfield battle has leaned to one side with the contrasting approaches to leave Austria enjoying about two-thirds of the possession.
35 min Jordan flood forward and a pacey build up gives Ali Olwan time to unleash a powerful shot that might have troubled the keeper if it wasn’t so straight. Musa Al-Taamari gathers the rebound but his own chance is blocked by Philipp Lienhart before Austria finally clear. Jordan continue to look most dangerous on the counter.
33 min Austria send the ball long for Konrad Laimer to run on to and into the penalty area. The midfielder tumbles to ground with arms waving in the air after there was an obvious tug on the shirt. But he equally had a fist full of the Jordan defender’s jersey. Stefan Posch is next to find space in attack but a heavy final touch allows the keeper to shut down the danger.
32 min Fast feet from Ali Olwan opens up the Austria defence but the cross into the penalty area is comfortably cleared by their centre-backs.
31 min Mwene quickly has an opportunity to make amends as he searches for Saša Kalajdžić but the cross is a touch behind the forward and he is unable to get enough on his header.
29 min Austria look more and more threatening as Jordan allow them time to build attacks. The right final ball all that’s missing to link midfield with the attack as Phillipp Mwene misdirects a cross.
27 min Austria win the ball back for their own throw in the attacking third and pile the pressure back on Jordan in the six-yard box. A desperate clearance gives the ball back for Austria to rebuild as Xaver Schlager charges through the middle of the pitch unopposed.
The family of Shaun Burton, say they are “devastated” by the loss.
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Key events
In the opening half an hour against Cape Verde, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch.
Kyle Green gets in touch: “Your highlighting of Lalas and his absurdity is something that has prevented me from wanting to watch the coverage on Fox. While every channel has its pros and cons I just can’t.
“I’m 45 and probably the youngest of anyone who remembers him as a player instead of an opinionated insert insult here. As for the match this could be more competitive than it looks on paper Spain need a win the pressure is on them. Saudi Arabia could hold out for a draw and see what happens in their last match. “
News from the England camp, and it seems to be good news on Declan Rice.
“I’m ready and fit, raring to go. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision.
“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70-minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.”
Alex Reid has penned today’s weekend special Football Daily.
Portugal v Uzbekistan on Tuesday enticingly pits the incredibly nice, incredibly 41-year-old-superstar-tolerant Roberto Martínez against Fabio Cannavaro, who’s won a Ballon d’Or as a player and the Chinese Super League as a coach. While the fixture following that game really does see the dream of Thomas Tuchel – in his first international job with England – taking on Queiroz, who is in charge of his ninth national side with Ghana.
The expected formations are 4-2-3-1 for Spain, and 5-3-2 for the Saudi Arabians.
The Saudi team features two Donis changes: Ali Lajami, a defender, and Nasser Al Dawsari, a midfielder, are preferred to Mohammed Abu Al Shamat and Mohamed Kanno. You may recall Salem Al Dawsari, the Saudi captain, as the man who scored the winner against Argentina.
An entertaining read, even for those of us who have just seen the clips.
In a conversation where his co-panelist is casually reminiscing about his days playing alongside Messi or exchanging shirts with Ronaldo Nazário at the World Cup, what exactly is Lalas going to talk about – coming on as a second-half substitute for Earnie Stewart in a friendly against Scotland in 1998? Helping the Kansas City Wizards finish last in the 1999 MLS Western Conference? Did Lalas enjoy an elite playing career? No. But does he do the background reading that could compensate for his relative lack of standing in a conversation with titans like Henry and Zlatan? Also no. But is he charming or funny or charismatic or otherwise magnetic on screen? Eh, no.
For the record, I once interviewed Alexi Lalas on the challenge of playing against Romario in the 1994 World Cup. He had this to say:
“He could kill you in so many different ways. If you remember from that World Cup, he scored so many types of goals. That ranged from solo adventures to an outside-of-the-right-foot half-volley off a corner kick. Romario was both the most difficult to play against and the best that I have faced.
“Roberto Baggio was doing his thing, but in terms of consistency and living up to the hype, he [Romario] was the best. As with all stars, there was a moment when the fans sit up in their seats, and that was a feeling I got with Romario. When it got close to him and the potential for his involvement in a play was there, everybody sat up in their seat. They knew that something spectacular would be happening.”
Saturday’s match reports here.
The Saudi Arabia coach, and Blackburn legend, Georgios Donis, spoke about the challenges facing his team: “Spain is not the same team when Yamal or Williams are on the bench.
“While they still have plenty of possession, they lack the individual one-on-one penetration when these two are missing. I’m not saying it’s a problem for Spain, but when those players are missing, they play in a different way. We saw this very clearly against Cape Verde.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, and it’s very important that when you play against these kinds of teams, you should enjoy the experience and respect the opponent, but not too much.
“It is very hard for any team playing against Spain to have any time in possession. So what we must do is to be more in control of our movement and compact, and when the ball goes through the lines, be able to defend dynamically.
“It’s nice to see miracles in football, and we’ve seen favourites losing against underdogs. Of course, it’s great for Saudi football to have a great memory of the result against Argentina, but we aren’t drawing anything from that.
“I think we’ll feel more pressure in that [Cape Verde] game than we will against Spain.”
The Spain coach, Luis De La Fuente had this to say in his Saturday press conference: “This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up… It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Saturday. There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”
Four changes for Spain: Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also come into the side with Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi dropping out.
The teams – Lamine Yamal starts
Spain: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal. Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, Iglesias.
Saudi Arabia: Al Owais, Abdulhamid, Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Al Harbi, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Khaibari, Al Juwayr, Al Buraikan, Salem Al Dawsari. Subs: Al Aqidi, Al Kassar, Majrashi, Yahya, Al Shehri, Al Boushal, Kadesh, Al Johani, Al Ghannam, Al Hajji, Al Hamdan, Mandash, Kanno, Thakri, Abu Al Shamat.
Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Perhaps one of the Saudi -players can write themselves into this high-grade selection?
Perhaps it can be their goalkeeper.
Madrid screening of Spain v Saudi Arabia cancelled due to heat
The public screening of Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Madrid on Sunday has been cancelled because of extreme heat forecast for the Spanish capital, officials said.
The match, due to kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, had been scheduled to be shown on a giant screen installed by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón in central Madrid.
Madrid city council and the federation decided to cancel the screening after national weather agency AEMET issued an orange heat warning – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C.
“The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” Madrid city hall said in a statement, apologising for any inconvenience.
Officials urged supporters to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned spaces and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.
Large parts of Spain are experiencing unusually high temperatures for June as a mass of hot air from North Africa moves across the Iberian Peninsula.
A total of 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the northern Basque Country bordering France is on red alert, the highest level.
Authorities advised residents and visitors to take precautions during the heatwave, including drinking water regularly, staying in cool environments, limiting outdoor physical activity during the hottest hours of the day and taking extra care of vulnerable people. AFP
Can Saudi Arabia repeat the magic of 2022?
Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-game unbeaten run. When Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 10 minutes, a comfortable afternoon seemed in the offing. Saleh al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari had other ideas, Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside in the space of 13 minutes and the greatest comeback in Saudi Arabia football history was made. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, while defeats to Poland and Mexico meant the Saudis did not reach the knock-out stage.
Unai Simon over David Raya is a controversial choice for De la Fuentes. The Arsenal keeper could lay claim to being Europe’s best this season.
“Those at the Champions League final had a few more days, so I got there on the Wednesday night,” Raya says. “I arrived a bit before Fabián [Ruiz]. I was saying hello to some of the others in reception when he arrived. I went to say congratulations; that was almost the first thing I did. I couldn’t really talk [to him] after the final; I just didn’t have it in me. The next day we talked about the game properly. Just two mates chatting … I was happy for him that he could lift the trophy for a second time.”
A high pressure game for the European champions, as Sid Lowe reports.
“If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.”
We wait to see what role Lamine Yamal will play today. His coach would surely like to be able to use him.
The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us, isn’t to them. In those extremes, they feel comfortable. Why? Because they are different. What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.
Preamble
Spain’s campaign did not get off to a flying start, and Luis de la Fuentes may wake up in the night to visions of Cape Verde’s Vozinha. He will have Georgia on his mind ever since Monday. Saudi Arabia are no pushovers and gave Uruguay a scare in their opening match. Memories of downing Argentina four years ago still abound, and so Spain might beware. They can ill afford to go into the final game with Uruguay at a disadvantage. All eyes on Lamine Yamal, whose fitness situation remains opaque, though Spain need their other forwards to come to the party.
Kick-off 5pm UK, 1pm ET, 2am AEST. Join me.
A topless man can be seen driving erratically in Edinburgh before abandoning his car and attacking a black man and a delivery rider.
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