Austria arrive at the 2026 World Cup for their eighth appearance, ending a 28 year absence that began after France 1998. They have never won the tournament, but their best finish remains one of the most celebrated in European football: third place in Switzerland in 1954. That campaign included a seven goals to five quarterfinal victory over the hosts, still the highest scoring match in World Cup history. Their broader legacy stretches back to the Wunderteam of the 1930s, the stylish prewar side that finished fourth in 1934 and announced Austria as one of the game's early powers.

Austria earned their place at the 2026 tournament by topping UEFA Group H, a five team group that also included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Cyprus, and San Marino. They entered the campaign late, delayed by Nations League commitments, but built a commanding lead with six wins, one draw, and one defeat across eight matches, finishing with 19 points, 22 goals scored, and just four conceded. They secured direct qualification mathematically before the final matchday, a mark of the distance they put between themselves and the rest of the group. Topping the group spared them the playoff round that eliminated several other European contenders.