{"id":16279,"date":"2026-06-28T02:29:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T20:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=16279"},"modified":"2026-06-28T02:38:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T21:08:16","slug":"fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Group J | Kansas City Stadium | 28 Jun 2026 | 7:30 AM IST<\/em><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#Match_Overview\" >Match Overview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#Algeria_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\" >Algeria \u2014 Team Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#Austria_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\" >Austria \u2014 Team Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#Head-to-Head\" >Head-to-Head<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#Tactical_Preview\" >Tactical Preview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#Key_Storylines\" >Key Storylines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#Our_Prediction\" >Our Prediction<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Match_Overview\"><\/span><strong>Match Overview<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Algeria and Austria are level on three points, separated only by goal difference \u2014 Austria second on zero, Algeria third on minus two. Win, and you are through. Lose, and you are likely out. A draw gets Austria to the Round of 32 but leaves Algeria needing to be among the eight best third-placed sides. In Kansas City, only a win qualifies for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>\u25ba Catch every kick live on ZEE 5 \u2014 India&#8217;s official home of the <\/strong><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\"><strong><em>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em><strong>. Download the ZEE 5 app.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Algeria_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/algeria\/algeria-squad\"><strong>Algeria<\/strong><\/a><strong> \u2014 Team Analysis<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Petkovic&#8217;s Algeria fell 3-0 to Argentina in their opener \u2014 a chastening Group J introduction. The response against Jordan showed a different side: trailing 1-0 at half-time, they came out with purpose and won it 2-1 through substitute goals from Nadhir Benbouali and Amine Gouiri. That character will be essential here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mohamed Amoura was dropped for the Argentina opener but is expected to return \u2014 the forward scored 10 goals in qualifying and is Algeria&#8217;s sharpest attacking threat alongside Mahrez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Player: <\/strong>Riyad Mahrez \u2014 The most creative and experienced player in Petkovic&#8217;s squad with over 100 international caps. Mahrez&#8217;s ability to drift inside and create something in tight spaces makes him Algeria&#8217;s primary threat. Austria will have spent more preparation time planning to stop him than anyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Austria_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/austria\/austria-squad\"><strong>Austria<\/strong><\/a><strong> \u2014 Team Analysis<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ralf Rangnick&#8217;s Austria arrive at their first World Cup since 1998 with genuine belief. The 3-1 win over Jordan was controlled \u2014 Romano Schmid scored first, an own goal, and Arnautovic&#8217;s penalty completed it. It was also Austria&#8217;s first World Cup win since 1990, and Rangnick&#8217;s press and shape looked the part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Alaba&#8217;s return to fitness gives Rangnick a world-class organiser at the heart of defence. Marcel Sabitzer, who earned his 100th Austria cap against Argentina, is the creative hub in midfield. Konrad Laimer provides the energy, Arnautovic the physical presence up front. Austria is a difficult side to play against when they play in their shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Player: <\/strong>Marcel Sabitzer \u2014 At his 100th Austria cap and beyond, Sabitzer drives play with intensity and quality. His pressing, carrying and passing make him the player Algeria must stop if they are to control the midfield and win this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Head-to-Head\"><\/span><strong>Head-to-Head<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Algeria and Austria met once at a World Cup \u2014 the 1982 group stage in Spain, where Austria won 2-0. That result played into the infamous Disgrace of Gijon, in which Austria and West Germany drew, eliminating Algeria despite Algeria&#8217;s earlier win over West Germany. Four decades later, they meet directly \u2014 no third party involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tactical_Preview\"><\/span><strong>Tactical Preview<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Petkovic&#8217;s 4-3-3 compacts defensively and has been difficult to break down. Mahrez drifts inside from the right, and Amoura looks to run in behind. Boudaoui, along with these two, works to win the ball and recycle quickly. Against Austria\u2019s high press, Algeria need composure to exploit the space behind Rangnick\u2019s attacking full-backs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rangnick&#8217;s 4-2-3-1 caused Jordan real problems. Laimer and Seiwald provide the engine, Sabitzer finds the pockets between the lines. Austria looks to win the ball high and attack quickly. They will create chances if the press works, but Algeria are technically far superior to Jordan and will not be as easy to pin back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Storylines\"><\/span><strong>Key Storylines<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Algeria famously beat West Germany 2-1 at the 1982 World Cup \u2014 one of the tournament&#8217;s great upsets. Austria beat Algeria 2-0 in the same group, and the subsequent Disgrace of Gijon eliminated Algeria despite that victory. In Kansas City, they meet head-to-head, with no third team to influence the outcome. Algeria have waited 44 years for this chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Our_Prediction\"><\/span><strong>Our Prediction<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is as even a matchup as the group stage offers. Austria has the structure and press to frustrate Algeria; Algeria have the individual quality \u2014 Mahrez, Amoura, Gouiri \u2014 to unpick any defence on their day. Both teams showed character when their backs were against the wall, and both have everything to play for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A tight draw feels right. Mahrez&#8217;s creativity, the hunger to reach a knockout stage for the first time since 2014, and the emotional weight of this fixture could tip it their way. Austria will make them work for it. Expect a tight, tense match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>\u25ba Don&#8217;t miss a moment of the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 action. Stream live and on-demand on <\/strong><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/myaccount\/subscription?plan-ref=0-11-7467&amp;asset-ref=0-6-4z5914493&amp;visibility=SELECTED&amp;context=FIFA\"><strong><em>ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em><strong>\u2014 wherever you are in India. Download the ZEE 5 app today.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Group J | Kansas City Stadium | 28 Jun 2026 | 7:30 AM IST Match Overview Algeria and Austria are level on three points, separated only by goal difference \u2014 Austria second on zero, Algeria third on minus two. Win, and you are through. Lose, and you are likely out. A draw gets Austria to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":16282,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3031],"class_list":["post-16279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Algeria vs Austria preview FIFA 2026\u2122\u2014Mahrez vs Sabitzer, tactics, team news, and prediction in Group J clash.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Algeria vs Austria preview FIFA 2026\u2122\u2014Mahrez vs Sabitzer, tactics, team news, and prediction in Group J clash.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Zee 5 Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-27T20:59:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-27T21:08:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1132\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Zee5\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Zee5\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\"},\"headline\":\"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-27T20:59:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-27T21:08:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":763,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/1132x400-35-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"FIFA World cup 2026\"],\"articleSection\":[\"FIFA World Cup 2026\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/\",\"name\":\"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/1132x400-35-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-27T20:59:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-27T21:08:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"Algeria vs Austria preview FIFA 2026\u2122\u2014Mahrez vs Sabitzer, tactics, team news, and prediction in Group J clash.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/1132x400-35-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/1132x400-35-1.jpg\",\"width\":1132,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Algeria vs Austria | Preview\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"FIFA World Cup 2026\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/fifa-world-cup-2026\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Zee 5 Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Zee 5\",\"alternateName\":\"Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Zee 5\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/ZEE5India\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/Zee5\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\",\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Sourav K\"},\"description\":\"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.zee5.com\\\/global\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/sourav-k\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview","description":"Algeria vs Austria preview FIFA 2026\u2122\u2014Mahrez vs Sabitzer, tactics, team news, and prediction in Group J clash.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview","og_description":"Algeria vs Austria preview FIFA 2026\u2122\u2014Mahrez vs Sabitzer, tactics, team news, and prediction in Group J clash.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/","og_site_name":"Zee 5 Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-27T20:59:16+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-27T21:08:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1132,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Sourav K","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Zee5","twitter_site":"@Zee5","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sourav K","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/"},"author":{"name":"Sourav K","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033"},"headline":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview","datePublished":"2026-06-27T20:59:16+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-27T21:08:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/"},"wordCount":763,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg","keywords":["FIFA World cup 2026"],"articleSection":["FIFA World Cup 2026"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/","name":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-27T20:59:16+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-27T21:08:16+00:00","description":"Algeria vs Austria preview FIFA 2026\u2122\u2014Mahrez vs Sabitzer, tactics, team news, and prediction in Group J clash.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg","width":1132,"height":400,"caption":"Algeria vs Austria | Preview"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-algeria-vs-austria-preview\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 | Algeria vs Austria | Preview"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","name":"Zee 5 Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization","name":"Zee 5","alternateName":"Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Zee 5"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Zee5","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033","name":"Sourav K","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sourav K"},"description":"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"}]}},"blog_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",150,53,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",1132,400,false]},"categories_names":{"3019":{"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"}},"tags_names":{"3031":{"name":"FIFA World cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"}},"comments_number":"0","wpmagazine_modules_lite_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",150,53,false],"cvmm-medium":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",300,106,false],"cvmm-medium-plus":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",305,108,false],"cvmm-portrait":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",400,141,false],"cvmm-medium-square":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",600,212,false],"cvmm-large":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",1024,362,false],"cvmm-small":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",130,46,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-35-1.jpg",1132,400,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16279"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16281,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16279\/revisions\/16281"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}