2026 World Cup Group J: Argentina vs Austria Preview, Odds and Predictions (June 22)

• When: Monday, June 22, 2026. 1:00 PM ET
• Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, United States
• How to Watch: FOX

The 2026 World Cup goes through the second round of matches with the third matchup in Group J getting underway in Dallas as Argentina takes on Austria. These two squads will likely be in direct competition for a qualifying spot in the group, meaning that there will be pressure on both nations on MD2.

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Argentina Stats & Team News

Argentina started its World Cup title defense with an incredibly classic performance from veteran superstar Lionel Messi. He delivered remarkable strikes with three goals to show for it as he led his country to a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria in Matchday 1.

Argentina needs another win to secure the top seed in its group, getting a solid test against Austria. While Messi will be expected to be in great form, the squad will need Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez to provide great plays and goalscoring opportunities to lessen the workload off of Messi.

Likely Lineup:

(4-4-2) E. Martinez (GK); Molina, Romero, Li. Martínez, Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernández, Almada; Messi, La. Martínez

Austria Stats & Team News

Austria is proud to be back in the World Cup for the first time since 1998. After taking down World Cup debutants Jordan by a convincing 3-1 score, the Austrians secured its first win in a World Cup match since 1990.

The team’s offense was on a roll against the Jordanian defense but will face tougher tasks against a strong Argentina squad. It will call for the likes of Marcel Sabitzer to deliver a crucial performance in the central playmaking department to create scoring chances for Austria.

Likely Lineup:

(4-2-3-1) A. Schlager (GK) Laimer, Lienhart, Alaba, Mwene; Seiwald, X. Schlager; Schmid, Chukwuemeka, Sabitzer; Kalajdzic.

Head-to-Head Stats

• This is the first all-time meeting between Argentina and Austria.
• This marks the first competitive meeting between the nations.

Argentina vs. Austria World Cup Picks

This match will be intriguing as it stands out as the toughest one Argentina will have in this group after getting past Algeria. Austria is in a solid period of quality years as one of the more decent sides from Europe. The Argentines will have their offense outside of Lionel Messi be put to the test, but the same goes for the Austrian defense when it comes to keeping their opponents in check. It would be safe to believe that Argentina takes this one by a 2-0 score.