European champions Spain will seek to continue their impressive FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign when they face Austria in a Round-of-32 encounter at Los Angeles Stadium on Thursday.

The match revives a rivalry that has not been seen on football’s biggest stage since the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, when Austria defeated Spain 2-1 in the group phase.

Spain arrive as winners of Group H after collecting seven points from their three matches. Luis de la Fuente’s side opened their campaign with a goalless draw against tournament debutants Cabo Verde in Atlanta before thrashing Saudi Arabia 4-0. They sealed top spot with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Uruguay in Guadalajara, courtesy of a decisive strike from Álex Baena.

Austria, meanwhile, reached the knockout phase for the first time since 1982 after finishing runners-up in Group J. Ralf Rangnick’s side began with a 3-1 victory over Jordan before suffering a 2-0 defeat to Argentina. Their qualification was secured in dramatic fashion through a thrilling 3-3 draw against Algeria in Kansas City, where Marko Arnautović, Marcel Sabitzer and Saša Kalajdžić found the net, with Kalajdžić’s equaliser arriving in the 96th minute.

Spain hold a clear advantage in overall meetings between the two nations, winning nine of their 16 encounters compared to Austria’s four victories, with three matches ending in draws.

However, Austria boast the superior record in World Cup meetings, having won the only previous clash between the sides at the tournament. Walter Schachner opened the scoring in Buenos Aires in 1978 before Dani levelled for Spain. Hans Krankl netted the winner in the 76th minute to hand Austria a memorable 2-1 victory.

The most recent meeting between the nations came in November 2009, when Spain recorded a convincing 5-1 friendly win in Vienna.

Key Facts

• This is the second FIFA World Cup meeting between Spain and Austria and the first since 1978.
• Spain are appearing in their first World Cup knockout match against European opposition since their penalty shootout defeat to hosts Russia in the Round of 16 at Russia 2018.
• La Roja are unbeaten in regular time in their last 33 matches, a run stretching back to a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia in March 2024.
• Spain have kept four consecutive clean sheets at the World Cup, matching their best defensive streak in the competition, last achieved during their triumphant 2010 campaign.
• Austria are participating in World Cup knockout football for the first time since finishing third at the 1954 tournament.
• Das Nationalteam are without a victory in their last six World Cup matches against European opponents, a sequence dating back to their 3-2 win over West Germany in 1978.
• Austria have nevertheless won three of their six previous World Cup knockout ties against fellow European nations.
• Ralf Rangnick’s side have lost only two of their last seven World Cup matches, winning two and drawing three.

Familiar Faces

The contest will also feature a club connection, with Spain defender Pedro Porro and Austria centre-back Kevin Danso both teammates at English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

With Spain seeking to extend their unbeaten run and Austria aiming to continue a remarkable resurgence on the world stage, Thursday’s clash promises a fascinating battle for a place in the Round of 16.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA

What a load of rubbish. There is no polite way to describe what Senegal did in Seattle on Wednesday night.

Not when a team is leading 2-0 with four minutes left in regulation time. Not when that team has dominated one of Europe’s traditional powers for almost the entire match. Not when a place in the Round of 16 is virtually secured.

And certainly not when that same team somehow manages to lose 3-2. This was not merely a defeat. It was a sporting catastrophe.

It was a collapse so spectacular that future generations of Senegalese football fans will speak about it with disbelief. Coaches will use it as a warning. Opponents will use it as proof that no game is won until the final whistle.

For 86 minutes, Senegal were magnificent.

They were organised, energetic and tactically superior. Belgium looked exhausted, uninspired and on the verge of elimination. Habib Diarra’s first-half goal was deserved. Ismaila Sarr’s brilliant second-half strike should have buried the contest.

At 2-0, the match was over. Or at least it should have been.

What followed was a footballing meltdown that bordered on the absurd.

The moment Romelu Lukaku pulled one back in the 86th minute, alarm bells should have been ringing across the Senegal bench. The instruction should have been simple: close the game, keep possession, defend intelligently, waste a little time if necessary, and get over the line.

Instead, panic took over.

The composure that had defined Senegal’s performance disappeared. The discipline vanished. Players who had looked assured suddenly looked frightened.

Belgium sensed weakness and attacked.

Within minutes, Youri Tielemans headed home the equaliser.

Even then, Senegal still had extra time to regroup, reorganise and rescue themselves. They did neither.

Instead, they pulled out their most talismanic player, Sadio Mane.

The final insult arrived in the 125th minute when Lamine Camara lunged recklessly into Tielemans inside the penalty area. It was the kind of challenge born not from confidence but from desperation.

VAR confirmed what everyone suspected.

Penalty.

Game over.

World Cup over.

Dream over.

Tielemans converted and Belgium completed one of the greatest escapes in World Cup history.

The painful truth for Senegal is that Belgium did not win this match as much as Senegal handed it to them.

Yes, Belgium showed character.

Yes, Lukaku’s introduction changed the game.

Yes, the Belgians deserve credit for refusing to surrender.

But none of that explains how a team leading 2-0 with only minutes remaining can lose.

The answer lies in game management — or the complete lack of it.

The world’s best teams know how to kill a match. They know when to slow the pace. They know when to keep the ball in the corners. They know when to commit a tactical foul, when to make substitutions, when to frustrate an opponent and when to simply clear their lines.

Senegal did none of those things.

Instead, they gifted Belgium hope.

And hope is the most dangerous thing you can give a wounded giant.

Coach Pape Thiaw said afterwards that his team deserved to win.

Perhaps they did.

But football is not decided on merit alone.

It is decided by concentration.

It is decided by discipline.

It is decided by the ability to finish what you start.

Senegal failed that test spectacularly.

For African football, the defeat is particularly painful because this Senegal side had shown throughout the tournament that it possessed the quality to go deep into the competition. They had the talent, the experience and the momentum.

What they lacked when it mattered most was maturity.

The scoreboard does not record how well you played for 86 minutes.

It records what happened after 120.

And what happened after 120 minutes was a disaster.

Belgium walked away with a place in the next round.

Senegal walked away with regret.

The tragedy is that they were not beaten by Belgium.

They were beaten by themselves. For Africa, another great team has crashed out of the World Cup!

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BY BABATUNDE OJORA, BORDEAUX, FRANCE

I recently came across a FIFA post on Instagram celebrating a 91-year-old journalist who is covering his 18th FIFA World Cup. It was one of those stories that instantly commands admiration. Covering a single World Cup is a lifelong ambition for many sports journalists; covering 18 is the stuff of legend.

That inspiring story prompted me to reflect on another remarkable achievement much closer to home — that of one of Africa’s most respected sports journalists, Nigeria’s own Kunle Solaja.

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Solaja is covering his 10th World Cup finals, a milestone that speaks volumes about his dedication, consistency, professionalism, resilience and enduring passion for sports journalism.

Sports journalist and media executive Babatunde Ojora (centre) poses with fellow Nigerian journalists Francis Achi (left) and Kunle Solaja during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the trio were among the media professionals covering the world’s biggest multi-sport event. Courtesy Photo: OJB.SPORT

Over the course of more than three decades, he has travelled across continents, chronicling some of football’s greatest moments and bringing the drama, excitement and history of the World Cup to readers. From Italy ’90 to the ongoing 2026 tournament, his reporting has provided a unique perspective on the evolution of the global game.

But Kunle Solaja’s contribution extends far beyond match reports and tournament coverage. Through his work, he has helped shape the landscape of sports journalism in Nigeria, mentored younger journalists, and inspired countless aspiring media professionals across Africa to pursue excellence in the craft.

Reaching a 10th World Cup is not merely a personal achievement; it is a testament to a lifetime of commitment to journalism and a significant contribution to African sports media.

As the football world celebrates records on the pitch, it is equally important to recognise those who have devoted their careers to documenting the game and preserving its history.

Congratulations, Mr Kunle Solaja, on this remarkable milestone. Your journey remains an inspiration to many, your legacy continues to grow, and there is every reason to believe that the best is still ahead.

May the journey continue.

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