Argentina vs Austria FIFA World Cup 2026: Messi Aims For Knockouts – Live Streaming Info

Defending champions Argentina will look to secure their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage when they face Austria in a crucial Group J encounter on Monday. Led by Lionel Messi, Argentina opened their title defence in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 victory over Algeria, while Austria marked their return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence by defeating Jordan 3-1. With both teams winning their opening matches, the clash in Dallas could prove decisive in determining the group's standings.

Argentina enter the contest with confidence after Messi delivered a memorable hat-trick in the opening game. The 38-year-old captain equalled Miroslav Klose's World Cup scoring record of 16 goals and became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. Head coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to retain the core of the side that impressed against Algeria, with Lautaro Martinez, Rodrigo De Paul and Alexis Mac Allister likely to play key roles alongside Messi.

Austria, coached by Ralf Rangnick, have also made a strong start to the tournament and will be eager to continue their momentum. Veteran striker Marko Arnautovic was among the standout performers in the victory over Jordan and remains a major attacking threat. Austria's midfield, led by Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer and Xaver Schlager, will be tasked with disrupting Argentina's rhythm and creating opportunities on the counterattack.

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The two nations have met three times previously, with both teams recording one victory each while one match ended in a draw. Argentina arrive with an impressive recent record, having won their last five matches, while Austria are unbeaten in their last five outings with four wins and one draw. The evenly balanced head-to-head record adds another layer of intrigue to a fixture featuring two confident sides.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 10:30 PM IST at Dallas Stadium. Amin Mohamed Omar will officiate the contest. Argentina's likely starting line-up includes Emiliano Martinez, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Giuliano Simeone, Lautaro Martinez and Lionel Messi. Austria are expected to start with Patrick Pentz, Stefan Posch, Kevin Danso, Philipp Lienhart, Phillipp Mwene, Nicolas Seiwald, Xaver Schlager, Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer, Patrick Wimmer and Marko Arnautovic.

Indian viewers can watch the Argentina versus Austria FIFA World Cup 2026 match live on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD television channels. The match will also be available for live streaming on the ZEE5 platform in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bangla. With a place in the Round of 32 potentially on the line, fans will be watching closely to see whether Messi can once again inspire Argentina on football's biggest stage.

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