Argentina take on Austria today as their World Cup title defence continues in Dallas. Inspired by Lionel Messi in their opening game of the 2026 tournament, Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 with their talismanic captain scoring a stunning hat-trick.
Messi moved level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose for the most goals scored in World Cup finals history (16), which means he now needs just one more to hold the record outright.
Group J Standings and Stakes
Ultimately, Lionel Scaloni’s side know that victory is the most important thing to seal a place in the round of 32 with a game to spare, potentially sealing top spot in Group J in the process. Austria, meanwhile, marked their return to the global stage after a 28-year absence with a 3-1 win over tournament debutants Jordan to move level on points with Argentina.
Date, Kick-off Time and Venue
Argentina vs Austria is scheduled for a 6pm BST kick-off today on Monday, June 22, 2026. The match will take place at Dallas Stadium in Texas.
How to Watch Argentina vs Austria for FREE
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live and free-to-air on BBC One, with coverage starting at 5.30pm BST.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via the BBC iPlayer or the BBC Sport website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with the BBC iPlayer, ITVX app and their websites.
Team News
Gonzalo Montiel has been ruled out of Argentina’s second 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, replacing Lautaro Martinez.
Argentina squad: Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli. Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Marcos Senesi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Facundo Medina. Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso, Rodrigo De Paul, Thiago Almada, Exequiel 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 could change things around for the showdown against the reigning world champions, with Tottenham defender Kevin Danso pushing for a start which 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, but 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 Friedl, 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.
Prediction
With progression to the round of 32 at stake, this should be an open game. That said, those in attendance at Dallas Stadium and others watching around the world only want to see one thing: Messi become the all-time World Cup top scorer. We think he will get at least one goal to move above Klose in the standings, leading his nation to a narrow win over Austria. Argentina to win, 2-1.
Head to Head History
Argentina wins: 1, Austria wins: 1, Draws: 1.
Match Odds
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