Preview: Austria vs. Ghana - prediction, team news, lineups

Austria and Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup continue on Friday as the nations face off in a friendly at the Ernst Happel-Stadion.

The warm-up match effectively serves as a preview of both teams’ opponents at the global finals, with Austria set to face Algeria, while the Black Stars are scheduled to meet England and Croatia in the group stage.

Match preview

After failing to qualify for any World Cup finals since the turn of the millennium, Austria were beneficiaries of the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams, which ultimately influenced their qualification process.

Ralf Rangnick’s side were always favourites to advance from a group comprising Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Cyprus and San Marino.

Indeed, Das Team took full advantage of their favourable qualifying draw, dropping only five points from a possible 24 to secure a return to the global showpiece for the first time since 1998.

They exited at the group stage then, but aim to do better this time as they face Argentina, Algeria and Jordan.

Being paired with Algeria possibly explains Friday’s tune-up game with the Black Stars, against whom they will aim to avoid defeat to preserve their three-year unbeaten home run across competitive and non-competitive matches.

Otto Addo’s Ghana were conspicuous by their absence at the Africa Cup of Nations, missing the chance to build much-needed momentum ahead of their fifth appearance at the global finals.

Like Austria, the West African nation dropped just five points in their qualifying group, winning eight of their 10 matches to reach consecutive finals.

However, since their 1-0 triumph over Comoros in October, a pair of friendly defeats to Japan and South Korea have followed, with both losses notable for their failure to score in the 2-0 and 1-0 reverses, respectively.

With the global showpiece now only three months away, Addo’s team will hope to refocus and get back to winning ways ahead of a challenging group stage that pits them against England and Croatia.

That explains the Black Stars’ choice of fixtures this month against Friday’s opponents and Germany three days later, even if facing European opposition may count for little when the competition proper begins in June.

Austria International Friendlies form:

Austria form (all competitions):

Ghana International Friendlies form:

Ghana form (all competitions):

Team News

Vienna-born Borussia Dortmund midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka could make his Austria debut, having switched international allegiance from England.

Unsurprisingly included in the European nation’s squad are veterans David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic, the latter of whom scored eight times in World Cup qualifying.

Also demonstrating match-winning capabilities in qualifying was four-goal Michael Gregoritsch, while the squad also includes Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer and Christoph Baumgartner, the latter having netted 12 Bundesliga goals for RB Leipzig.

Inaki Williams has withdrawn from Ghana’s squad for March’s international fixtures, having suffered discomfort in Athletic Club’s La Liga fixture with Real Betis on Sunday.

While regular names such as Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew and EFL Cup winner Antoine Semenyo are part of Addo’s squad, debuts could be handed to Derrick Luckassen, Patric Pfeiffer, Marvin Senaya and Daniel Agyei during this international window.

Mohammed Kudus, though, remains absent with a thigh injury that has kept him out of action for Tottenham Hotspur since January.

Austria possible starting lineup:

A. Schlager; Laimer, Lienhart, Alaba, Mwene; Seiwald, X. Schlager; Wimmer, Baumgartner, Sabitzer; Arnautovic

Ghana possible starting lineup:

Asare; Senaya, Oppoong, Adjetey, Mensah; Semenyo, Partey, Sibo, Sulemana; Ayew, Adu

We say: Austria 2-0 Ghana

Determined to arrest their mini-slump, the Black Stars may produce a more disciplined defensive performance, frustrating an Austria side expected to dominate.

Even so, the hosts’ superior fluency might eventually tell in a routine victory over the West African nation.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.