This is a record of Austria's results at the FIFA World Cup. Austria has qualified on eight occasions, most recently in 2026. They also qualified for the tournament in 1938, but withdrew after the annexation of Austria by the Third Reich, with some of its team members joining the German team.

Summary

1930 World Cup in Uruguay

The first edition of the FIFA World Cup in Uruguay was the only one without qualifiers. However, the Austrian Football Association chose not to participate.

1934 World Cup in Italy

After defeating France and Hungary on their way into the semi-finals, the strong Austrian squad lost 0–1 to hosts and eventual champions Italy. In the match for third place against Germany, Austria conceded a goal after 25 seconds by Ernst Lehner - the fastest goal in World Cup history until 1962.

1938 World Cup in France

After qualifying by defeating Latvia in the qualifiers, Austria was drawn against Sweden in the first round. However, after the Anschluss in March 1938, the Austrian Football Association was incorporated into the German system. Nine Austrian players were called up for the Germany national squad instead. After being fielded in the opening match against Switzerland, Willibald Schmaus and goalkeeper Rudolf Raftl were the first players ever to represent two different nations at the FIFA World Cup. The match ended 1-1. In the decisive rematch, Austrian striker Wilhelm Hahnemann scored the opening goal, but the final score was 2-4 and Germany eliminated from the tournament.

1950 World Cup in Brazil

Austria initially registered to participate and was supposed to play Turkey in the qualifications, but withdrew. At a later stage, Turkey also withdrew.

1982 World Cup in Spain

Drawn in Group 2 alongside Algeria, Chile, and the Federal Republic of (West) Germany, Austria gained traction by defeating the South Americans 1–0 in the first group match. Austria later won 2–0 over the Algerians that saw them at a comfortable position in the group stage; however, Algeria, having already beaten West Germany in an upset, found themselves victorious against an already-eliminated Chile, and thus were all-but guaranteed to proceed to the next round alongside Germany, potentially leaving Austria out.

Austria played their decisive final group stage encounter against neighbors West Germany in Gijón, Spain, in one of the most controversial matches in World Cup history. Nicknamed "the Disgrace of Gijón, the match saw West Germany scoring once against Austria before both teams and players deliberately played underwhelmingly, wasting the clock and mathematically having both European teams of the group qualify at the expense of Africa's Algeria, the latter whom had defeated the Chileans a day prior to conclude their part of the group stage. Outrage from Algerian fans and Spanish spectators ensued, and both the German and Austrian media condemned the underhanded tactics of both teams' method of subversive "boring" football, with the German commentary team constantly apologizing to viewers for the sub-par action. Algerian football fans dubbed the match "the Anschluss", a reference to Austria being annexed by Germany under the Nazi regime. Austria saw themselves bowing out in a three-team group of the second stage, losing to France and drawing with Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, West Germany reached the final, losing 3–1 to European rivals Italy.

Record at the FIFA World Cup Overall record FIFA World Cup recordYearRoundPosition* 1930 Did not enter 1934Fourth place 4th 4 2 0 2 7 7 1938 Withdrew 1950 1954Third place 3rd 5 4 0 1 17 12 1958 Group stage 15th 3 0 1 2 2 7 1962 Withdrew 1966 Did not qualify 1970 1974 1978 Quarter-finals 7th 6 3 0 3 7 10 1982 Second round 8th 5 2 1 2 5 4 1986 Did not qualify 1990 Group stage 18th 3 1 0 2 2 3 1994 Did not qualify 1998 Group stage 23rd 3 0 2 1 3 4 2002 Did not qualify 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Round of 32 28th 4 1 1 2 6 9 2030 To be determined 2034Total Third place 8/23 33 13 5 15 49 56 *Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Austria's World Cup recordFirst match Austria 3–2 (27 May 1934; Turin, Italy)Biggest win 5–0 (19 June 1954; Zürich, Switzerland)Biggest defeat 6–1 (30 June 1954; Basel, Switzerland)Best resultThird place in 1954Worst resultGroup stage in 1958, 1990 and 1998

By match World CupRoundOpponentScoreResultVenueAustria scorers1934Round of 163–2 WTurinM. Sindelar, A. Schall, J. BicanQuarter-finals2–1WBolognaJ. Horvath, K. ZischekSemi-finals0–1LMilanMatch for third place2–3LNaplesJ. Horvath, K. Sesta1954Group stage1–0WZürichE. Probst5–0WZürichE. Probst (3), E. Stojaspal (2)Quarter-finals7–5WLausanneT. Wagner (3), A. Körner (2), E. Ocwirk, E. ProbstSemi-finals1–6LBaselE. ProbstMatch for third place3–1WZürichE. Stojaspal, L. Cruz (o.g.), E. Ocwirk1958Group stage0–3LUddevalla0–2LBorås2–2DBoråsK. Koller, A. Körner1978Group stage2–1WBuenos AiresW. Schachner, H. Krankl1–0WBuenos AiresH. Krankl0–1LMar del PlataSecond round1–5LCórdobaE. Obermayer0–1LBuenos Aires3–2WCórdobaH. Krankl (2), B. Vogts (o.g.)1982Group stage1–0WOviedoW. Schachner2–0WOviedoW. Schachner, H. Krankl0–1LGijónSecond round0–1LMadrid2–2DMadridB. Pezzey, R. Hintermaier1990Group stage0–1LRome0–1LFlorence2–1WFlorenceA. Ogris, G. Rodax1998Group stage1–1DToulouseA. Polster1–1DSaint-ÉtienneI. Vastić1–2LSaint-DenisA. Herzog2026Group stage3–1W Santa ClaraR. Schmid, Y. Al-Arab (o.g.), M. Arnautović0–2LArlington3–3DKansas CityM. Arnautović, M. Sabitzer, S. Kalajdžić Round of 32 0–3 L Inglewood

Record by opponent FIFA World Cup matches (by team)OpponentWinsDrawsLossesTotalGoals ScoredGoals Conceded110253001102002204010111110221101251010122101233001123100121004415100131001115010122100110001102101224100110100175100121100131102349

Most appearances

RankPlayerMatchesWorld Cups1Friedrich Koncilia111978 and 1982Erich Obermayer111978 and 1982Bruno Pezzey111978 and 1982Herbert Prohaska111978 and 19825Hans Krankl101978 and 19826Gerhard Hanappi81954 and 1958Karl Koller81954 and 1958Walter Schachner81978 and 19829Alfred Körner71954 and 1958

Goalscorers On May 27, 1934, Matthias Sindelar made history by scoring Austria's first-ever FIFA World Cup goal. It came on their opening match against France in Turin.

Player Goals 1934 1954 1958 1978 1982 1990 1998 2026 Erich Probst 6 6 Hans Krankl 5 41 Ernst Stojaspal 3 3 Theodor Wagner 3 3 Alfred Körner 3 21 Walter Schachner 3 12 Johann Horvath 22 Ernst Ocwirk 2 2 Marko Arnautović 2 2 Matthias Sindelar 11 Anton Schall 11 Josef Bican 11 Karl Zischek 11 Karl Sesta 11 Karl Koller 1 1 Erich Obermayer 1 1 Bruno Pezzey 1 1 Reinhold Hintermaier 1 1 Andreas Ogris 1 1 Gerhard Rodax 1 1 Toni Polster 1 1 Ivica Vastić 1 1 Andi Herzog 1 1 Romano Schmid 1 1 Marcel Sabitzer 1 1 Saša Kalajdžić 1 1 Own goals 1 1 Total 47 7 16 2 6 5 2 3 6

Historial performances

Team awards

Third Place - 1954

Individual awards

Silver Ball 1934: Matthias Sindelar Silver Boot 1954: Erich Probst

Ernst Happel has won 2nd Place as a coach with the Netherlands in 1978 after losing the final 3-1 a.e.t. to Argentina

See also Austria at the UEFA European Championship

Notes

References