Argentina continue the defence of their World Cup crown against Austria on Monday, June 22, 2026, with Lionel Scaloni's side chasing a win that could seal a round of 32 place with a game to spare and potentially lock down top spot in Group J.
Argentina opened the 2026 tournament with a 3-0 win over Algeria, inspired by captain Lionel Messi, who scored a hat-trick. That result moved Messi level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, leaving him one strike away from holding the all-time record outright.
Austria marked a return to the global stage after a 28-year absence with a 3-1 win over tournament debutants Jordan. That result left Austria level on points with Argentina at the top of Group J heading into the Dallas meeting.
Date, kickoff and venue
Argentina vs Austria is scheduled for a 6pm BST kickoff on Monday, June 22, 2026, at Dallas Stadium in Texas.
Where to watch
In the UK, the match will be televised live on BBC One, with coverage starting at 5.30pm BST. UK viewers can also stream the contest live via BBC iPlayer or the BBC website. World Cup highlights are available on FIFA's official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer, the ITVX app, and their websites.
Argentina team news
Gonzalo Montiel has been ruled out of the Austria game through injury, meaning Scaloni will be forced into at least one change from the win over Algeria. Nahuel Molina is the most likely replacement at right-back, while Julian Alvarez is pushing to join Messi in attack.
Argentina squad:
- Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli
- Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Leonardo Balerdi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Facundo Medina
- Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso, Rodrigo De Paul, Thiago Almada, Exeguiel Palacios, Nicolas Gonzalez, Nicolas Paz, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Valentin Barco
- Forwards: Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Jose Manuel Lopez, Giuliano Simeone
Austria team news
Austria could change things around for the showdown against the reigning world champions, with Tottenham defender Kevin Danso pushing for a start that could see captain David Alaba move out to left-back. Veteran forward Marko Arnautovic came off the bench to score against Jordan in stoppage-time, though it remains to be seen if he will be upgraded to a starter.
Austria squad:
- Goalkeepers: Alexander Schlager, Florian Wiegele, Patrick Pentz
- Defenders: David Affengruber, Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba, Philipp Lienhart, Phillipp Mwene, Alexander Prass, Marco Friedel, Michael Svoboda
- Midfielders: Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, Marcel Sabitzer, Florian Grillitsch, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romano Schmid, Christoph Baumgartner, Konrad Laimer, Patrick Wimmer, Paul Wanner, Alessandro Schopf
- Forwards: Marko Arnautovic, Michael Gregoritsch, Sasa Kalajdzic
With progression to the round of 32 at stake, the fixture could open up as both sides push for points. Messi's pursuit of the outright World Cup scoring record may shape how fans watch the night, and preview chatter has pointed toward a tight Argentina win if he adds to his tally.
