Austria Start FIFA World Cup 2026 Campaign with Convincing 3-1 Victory Against Jordan

Austria marked their return to the FIFA World Cup after 28 yeara with a 3-1 victory over debutants Jordan in a Group J clash at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Tuesday.

Austria took the lead in the 20th minute when Romano Schmid's powerful strike from outside the box flew in.

Jordan, came out aggressively after the break and equalised in the 50th minute when Ali Olwan's scored Jordan's first-ever World Cup goal with an individual effort.

Austria regained control in the 76th minute when Jordan defender Yazan Al-Arab inadvertently diverted Marcel Sabitzer's corner into his own net under pressure.

Marko Arnautovic had a goal chalked out by VAR and finally scored in stoppage time, converting a penalty after Saleem Obeid was penalised for handball.

"We knew Jordan would make life difficult for us. The important thing was that the players stayed patient and kept believing in the plan,"* Austria coach Ralf Rangnick said after the match.

"At the World Cup, you need contributions from everyone. The bench made a difference and helped us regain control in the final stages," he added.