San Marino Prepares for 2026 World Cup Qualifier Against Austria in Vienna

Anticipation Builds for World Cup Qualifier

The San Marino national football team is preparing for a challenging encounter against Austria in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match. The fixture is scheduled for October 9, 2025, and will take place at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria, with kick-off set for 6:45 PM UTC.

This match is a crucial part of the European qualification campaign for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature 48 teams. European qualifiers see 12 group winners directly advance to the tournament, while 12 group runners-up and four best-ranked UEFA Nations League group winners (who didn't finish in the top two of their qualifying group) proceed to play-offs. The teams are drawn into 12 groups, with Group H comprising Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Romania, and San Marino.

Austria's Strong Qualification Bid

Under the management of Ralf Rangnick, Austria enters the match in strong form, positioned second in Group H with 12 points from four matches, having scored nine goals and conceded only two. The team is expected to contend for a direct qualification spot or a play-off berth. Austria has won its last four World Cup qualifying matches and previously defeated San Marino 4-0 in the reverse fixture in June 2025. Key players for Austria include midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, who has scored in three of Austria's last four World Cup qualifying matches, and defensive stalwarts Konrad Laimer and David Alaba. As of September 18, 2025, Austria holds a FIFA ranking of 22nd.

San Marino's Historic Journey and Recent Progress

San Marino, currently ranked 210th globally by FIFA, faces a formidable opponent. Despite their historical struggles, the team has shown signs of progress. They achieved their first-ever competitive victory on September 5, 2024, with a 1-0 win over Liechtenstein in the UEFA Nations League, followed by a 3-1 away victory against the same opponent on November 18, 2024. These results led to their promotion from League D of the UEFA Nations League. In the current 2026 World Cup qualifiers, San Marino is in fifth place in Group H with 0 points after five matches, having scored one goal and conceded 18. While direct qualification is out of reach, their recent Nations League performance theoretically offers a pathway to the play-offs, though it remains a significant challenge.