San Francisco Bay Area Stadium: Austria begin their World Cup campaign against tournament debutants Jordan at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Wednesday, with both sides eager to make a positive start in Group J. While defending champions Argentina are favourites to top the group, the race for the second automatic qualification spot is expected to be fiercely contested, making an opening victory crucial.
Austria return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 but have suffered a setback with attacking midfielder Christoph Baumgartner ruled out by a thigh injury. Dejan Ljubicic has replaced him in the squad, while captain David Alaba has recovered from a minor muscle issue and is fit to start. Konrad Laimer is also available despite his recent friendly red card, which does not apply to tournament fixtures.
Jordan's preparations have also been disrupted by injuries. Leading striker Yazan Al Naimat misses the tournament, while Ibrahim Sabra has withdrawn from the squad, paving the way for Mohammad Taha's inclusion. With their primary goalscorer unavailable, head coach Jamal Sellami is expected to build his attack around Mousa Tamari, alongside Ali Olwan and Odeh Fakhoury in a fluid front three.
