Austria return to competitive action for the first time since the World Cup when they welcome Israel to the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz on Thursday evening.

Ralf Rangnick’s side begin their UEFA Nations League campaign in Group B3, where Kosovo and the Republic of Ireland complete a section Austria will be aiming to win. However, the hosts enter this new cycle without several of the players who have defined Rangnick’s tenure, making their opening fixture an intriguing test of Austria’s next generation.

Austria begin a period of transition

Austria’s failure to earn promotion in the previous Nations League campaign was a disappointment. They finished second in their League B group before losing to Serbia in the promotion playoffs, but responded impressively by qualifying directly for the 2026 World Cup.

Six victories from eight qualifiers saw Rangnick’s team finish above Bosnia and Herzegovina, and their progress continued at the finals. Austria emerged from a group containing Argentina, Algeria and Jordan before their campaign was ended by eventual champions Spain in the first knockout round.

That World Cup run represented another step forward for a national team transformed under Rangnick, but the side taking the field in Linz will look noticeably different.

Marko Arnautovic retired from international football following the World Cup, ending his Austria career with a national-record 137 appearances and 49 goals. Marcel Sabitzer is taking a break from international duty, while David Alaba has not been selected as the 34-year-old continues to search for a club and work on his fitness.

There are significant injury absences too. Christoph Baumgartner is unavailable, while Konrad Laimer suffered an adductor problem and will miss at least Austria’s opening matches against Israel and Kosovo. LASK captain Sascha Horvath was subsequently added to the squad.

It leaves Rangnick without five familiar figures at once – Alaba, Arnautovic, Sabitzer, Baumgartner and Laimer – and seven uncapped players were included in his original squad for this international period.

That makes Thursday about more than simply collecting three points. Austria’s high-intensity approach has been firmly established under Rangnick, but responsibility must now shift towards another group of players. The coach said this week that leadership has to come collectively rather than from one or two individuals, while identifying promotion back to League A and the continued development of the team as Austria’s objectives for the campaign.

Michael Gregoritsch will captain the side against Israel in the absence of the usual senior leadership group. The Freiburg forward is also one of the candidates to lead the attack, although Saša Kalajdžić and Junior Adamu provide alternatives.

Austria should still possess plenty of quality behind the striker. Romano Schmid has become increasingly important, while Nicolas Seiwald and Xaver Schlager can give Rangnick the aggressive midfield platform his system requires.

There is youth to integrate, but the basic identity of this Austria team is unlikely to change. They will want to press Israel high, regain possession quickly and attack before the visitors can reorganise.

Israel face an immediate examination

Israel’s Nations League campaign begins with arguably the most difficult fixture in Group B3. Ran Ben Shimon’s team missed the 2026 World Cup after finishing third behind Norway and Italy in their qualifying group. Their summer programme subsequently brought a 2-2 draw against Georgia and a 1-0 victory over Albania, extending their unbeaten sequence to four matches.

That offers some encouragement, although their wider results illustrate why they start this campaign back in League B. Israel were relegated from the top tier after winning only once in six matches during the previous Nations League. They now have an opportunity to rebuild, but Linz represents a difficult place to begin.

The visitors do possess players capable of troubling Austria. Oscar Gloukh provides creativity between the lines, while Dor Peretz offers another attacking threat from midfield. Dor Turgeman and Tai Baribo are competing to lead the line, with Manor Solomon and Liel Abada giving Ben Shimon further options in the final third.

Austria therefore cannot simply assume territorial dominance will be enough. Their aggressive pressing game inevitably leaves space if the first line is beaten, and Gloukh in particular has the technical ability to exploit it.

Israel have problems of their own at the back, however. Stav Lemkin, Itay Rotman and Or Blorian are all unavailable through injury, reducing Ben Shimon’s defensive options for a match in which his side can expect extended periods without possession.

There is also an unfavourable recent history for the visitors in Austria. The teams met during qualification for both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, with Austria winning the home fixture on both occasions and scoring seven goals across those two matches.

Israel will hope that Austria’s personnel changes make this a more vulnerable version of Rangnick’s side. There is some justification for that belief: removing Alaba, Laimer, Sabitzer, Baumgartner and Arnautovic from the same squad inevitably takes away a huge amount of international experience. The question is whether Israel can survive Austria’s intensity for long enough to expose those changes.

Verdict

Austria are entering a transitional period, and the absence of so many established players adds an element of uncertainty that would not normally surround this fixture.

Yet Rangnick’s biggest advantage is that Austria already have a clearly defined way of playing. Even with different personnel, their pressing, tempo and willingness to attack vertically should remain familiar.

Israel have enough technical quality to threaten on the counter and Austria may have uncomfortable moments if Gloukh and Solomon find space. But the visitors’ defensive absences are a concern against a home side likely to apply sustained pressure. Austria should have enough depth and attacking variety to begin their Nations League campaign with a victory in Linz.

Tip: Austria to win