Argentina vs Austria live online: updates, score, goals, and highlights | 2026 World Cup Group J

Chance to break for Lautaro on the left side but the back line caught up and he played it square to Enzo who looked to find an extra pass to a teammate but none of them were making the run. A bit wasteful from Argentina of late. 

It's got to be intimidating for Austria or really any opponent of Argentina. They can look like they are out of synch or even disinterested at times and then BOOM, they can make something out of nothing 

Just seconds later Messi was at the center of everything again. Ball in from Almada to Messi at the top of the area and he made a one touch pass into the path of Enzo who was a half step late getting there. Schlager off his line and wraps it up before Messi can create any more magic. 

Ball through the middle for Messi who dribbles around a couple of defenders and was looking for the shot but couldn't find the space. 

Argentina seem to be in no rush to take back control and create a few more chances. They know it can come in the blink of an eye and it almost did. 

Ball swung in from the near side by Sabitzer but that didn't get past the first post before being nodded away from danger. 

Corner kick coming for the Austrians who have looked the more eager side even before the break. 

Back underway!

Messi's just fixing his hair and we should be ready to go again...

And here's the first of our mandatory ‘hydration’ breaks that must last 3 minutes in order to fit in all the advertisements.

Austria are ready to go again, but Pulisic wants to sell you a credit card.

CHANCE (?). Austria cause some momentary chaos in the Argentina box that starts with a Posch cross that's not cleared. A couple of wayward volleys threaten but the ball is eventually deflected out.

A slight pause as De Paul and Laimer are both down after suffering separate challenges.

Twenty minutes gone. Argentina have had the better chances overall, but Austria are no pushovers in this one.

CHANCE. OK, Messi is still feeling OK. His foot is glued to the ball as he drives towards goal and it is only a late Alaba toe-poke into the outstretched leg of the Austria goalkeeper that stops him from scoring.

Austria's mid-block is working well and the proof of that is the fact that Messi has been forced to drift back, almost into the right-back position, just to get a sniff of the ball.

Sabitzer does well to get down the left wing where he clips in a cross towards the far post. Argentina are coping, but they're under a little bit of pressure here.

Not a great Sofascore rating for Messi so far...

I'm sure it'll rise as the game goes on. Angry Messi usually scores goals for fun.

Free-kick to the Europeans as Wanner is taken down by Mac Allister on the left edge of the box. A chance to swing the ball in...

It's been all Austria since Messi fumbled his penalty on the 40th anniversary of Maradona's goals against England in 1986.

Back underway. And Gregoritsch is down and asking for a new boot. The drama in this game keeps on giving.

Messi steps up, history on the line, he's five steps from becoming the player with the most goals at the men's World Cup in history, and he's passed it to the crowd of photographers next to the corner flag.

As you were...

Messi steps up...

Schlager and Posch did a bit of a double-team tackle on Lautaro, and neither of them really got a goo touch on the ball. Fair enough.

PENALTY TO ARGENTINA!

What a chance for Messi to make World Cup history!

POSSIBLE PENALTY

He's off to the screen!

VAR check on a possible penalty...

It was Xaver Schlager who collided with Lautaro to stop him firing off a shot - let's see what the VAR say.

HUGE CHALLENGE. Messi's first touch gets a wave of cheers as he opens out towards Almada on the left. The ball is then fired into the feet of Lautaro who gets clattered inside the box by a gaggle of Austrians.

Possible penalty? Let's see, but for now he's down and receiving treatment.

The first chance at getting forward for Argentina comes after a nice run down the left from Medina who pops it off to Almada. The wide-man's cross/shot is from a tight angle and Schlager isn't troubled as it thumps the side netting. 

The South Americans are starting off with the possession as Austria immediately drop into a 4-4-2 mid block, presumably to try and squeeze Messi into a mouse trap and deny him the wiggle room he loves to exploit.

Anthems done!

Right, time to roll up those massive flags and clear everyone off the pitch - we're almost ready to go!

The players are on the pitch!

And of course, we've got all 500 players, staff, friends, families, pets, and everyone they've ever sent a Christmas card to, out on the pitch, ready to sing the national anthems.

The strange tunnel at Dallas Stadium...

The players' tunnel is made of glass and is filled on both sides by fans flashing cameras aimed at Messi and co., which is quite the sight.

I dread to think about just how much they paid for the honour of taking a photo of their own reflection and some grimy fingerprints...

Ready to go!

Here come the players out of the tunnel!

A reminder of the XIs:

ARG: E Martínez; Nahuel, Romero, L Martínez, Medina; De Paul; Enzo, Mac Allister, Almada; Messi, Lautaro 

AUS: A Schlager; Posch, Danso, Alaba, Laimer; X Schlager, Seiwald, Schmid, Wanner, Sabitzer; Gregoritsch

Austria fans making a noise!

The fans have been superb at the World Cup so far, and the Austrians are certainly keeping the bar high when it comes to noise levels! 

FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GO!

The warmups are coming to a conclusion and the two teams are set to head back down the tunnel for the final team talk before kick-off!

What a moment!

Messi has just led his team out of the tunnel for the pre-game warmups, and the crowd have reacted in kind, putting on a show of noise that is right up there with what we've heard so far at the tournament! 

Only one man top of the pops...

While colossal goalkeepers have been the story of the tournament so far, Leo Messi stays top of the pile when it comes to Sofascore ratings.

FIFA Rankings  

Coming into the tournament Argentina were the top team in the official FIFA World Rankings. It should come as no surprise that the 2022 World Cup winners are still at the top of the list after their 3-0 win over Algeria. These rankings are ever-changing but one this that hasn’t changed much is Argentina’s place at the top for the last few years. France is right behind them, and then Spain while England and Brazil round out the top five. Austria has moved up to the 21st spot in the rankings after their win over Jordan. 

Scaloni's reaction to hat trick 

The emotion and the appreciation people experience when watching Messi is unlike anything or anyone we have seen in this sport in a very long time, maybe ever. Experts drool over his genius. Novice soccer fans marvel at his brilliance. And Argentina fans worship him like he’s a god. In a country where soccer is religion, the number 10 is their Messiah. Even his own coach was reduced to watching on in awe as Messi scored his first ever hat trick in a World Cup. He took him off late in the second half to give the fans a chance to show their appreciation for the performance he gave in Kansas City, but it was Lionel Scaloni who was nearly brought to tears on the touchline of the Algeria game.

Last time out...

In Argentina's opening game, it was the Lionel Messi show on steroids. The wizard opened his World Cup account in typical fashion... just the three goals seemed to be enough for him as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0. 

It's set today up to be a potentially historic day, but more on that later! 

Here's how things look ahead of kick-off

Team news shortly!

Last game: Austria 

Austria's last game was a bit over shadowed by Messi’s incredible match from earlier that night, but the Austrians had a convincing win over World Cup debutants Jordan last week. Romano Schmid got the opening goal in the 21st minute, but it wasn’t until the second half that they would pull away. Ali Olwan scored the first goal in the World Cup for the country of Jordan and leveled the match at 1-1 out of the break, but an own goal on Jordan in the 76th minute would put the Austrians up a goal. Marko Arnautovic would put the cherry on top with a goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time to give Austria tree points to open up their World Cup campaign. 

Argentina vs. Austria  

The World Cup winners for four years ago take the pitch for the second time in their title defense campaign and everybody is waiting to see what the greatest player in the world has for an encore today from Arlington, Texas. It's Argentina taking on Austria in battle at the top of Group J and AS English will be with you all day providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of this match that could determine who wins the group with one match still remaining.