On June 17, the first round of Group J matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage commenced. The Austrian team, returning to the FIFA World Cup stage after 28 years, secured a 3-1 victory over Jordan, who were making their FIFA World Cup debut, thanks to the outstanding performance of veteran Marko Arnautović, getting off to a winning start.
This victory holds immense significance for Austrian football. Data shows that this is Austria's first victory in a FIFA World Cup match since defeating the United States 2-1 on June 19, 1990. At the same time, it is also their first victory in an opening FIFA World Cup group stage match since defeating Chile on June 17, 1982.
Although he only scored one goal personally, Arnautović was undoubtedly the most crucial player in this match. After coming on as a substitute, he completely changed the course of the game, not only forcing an own goal from the opponent but also scoring from a penalty kick, netting a goal in his FIFA World Cup debut.
After the match, Austrian midfielder Konrad Laimer stated that the team had prepared for a tough battle before the game.
"We knew it would never be an easy game. There were moments in the game where we played very well, but there were also periods where we didn't meet expectations. The most important thing is that the team always maintained the right attitude; we never gave up and kept fighting until the end, which is why we were able to win the game."
For Austria, this victory not only earned the team a valuable 3 points but also ended an embarrassing 36-year record. Since defeating the United States in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Austria had gone 36 consecutive years without tasting victory in a FIFA World Cup match. Now, they have finally secured three points on the FIFA World Cup stage again.
In the 1990 FIFA World Cup, the Austrian team defeated the United States 2-1 in the final group stage match, but the team was eliminated from the group stage in that tournament. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the Austrian team achieved 2 draws and 1 loss in their three group stage matches and failed to advance. (Austria 1-1 Cameroon; Austria 1-1 Chile; Austria 1-2 Italy)
According to the schedule, Austria will face a real test in the next round as they take on defending champions Argentina. The latter comfortably defeated Algeria 3-0 in their first match, demonstrating strong overall strength.