For the ÖFB kickers it is a reunion with the Norwegians. Haaland and Co. were already opponents of the Austrians in the second edition of the Nations League 2020/21. At that time, the ÖFB team won 2-1 away in Oslo and 1-1 at home in Vienna. This meant that Austria was promoted to League A of the Nations League as group winners. But back then it was against a Norwegian team. The Scandinavians were missing almost all players with international experience due to coronavirus quarantine rules.
Norway and Slovenia seem to be the toughest opponents in the fight for group victory. The Norwegians are 44th in the world rankings, twenty positions behind Austria. The Slovenians are in 54th place, the Kazakhs, as newcomers from League C, are in 100th position. In addition to Haaland, the Norwegians now have other players of stature with his Man City colleague Oscar Bobb and Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson.
Few comparisons with Slovenia
In addition to goalkeeper Jan Oblak, Benjamin Sesko, a former Salzburg striker like Haaland, is the star for Slovenia. There have only been four international duels with their southern neighbor so far, the ÖFB team won the two most recent ones in the European Championship qualification in 2019 1-0. The Austrians are still unbeaten in four matches against the Kazakhs, but away from home they only drew 0-0.
The fact that Kazakhstan slipped into Group 3 did not cause team boss Ralf Rangnick to jump for joy given the long journey. Not only the five-hour flight, but also the five-hour time difference between Kazakhstan and Austria are a burden. “It’s borderline what you expect of the players. But it’s no use, we have to take it as it is,” said the German in an ORF interview.
Trip to Kazakhstan “borderline”
After the draw for the next edition of the Nations League on Thursday in Paris, ÖFB team boss Ralf Rangnick was particularly upset with Kazakhstan as an opponent.
“It’s not an easy group, but you can’t choose your opponents. Our team has quality, passion and heart, and so I am convinced that we will do well,” said ÖFB President Klaus Mitterdorfer. Incidentally, the Kazakhs were only drawn into group 3 because in the other groups, England and Ireland as well as Wales and Iceland would have had longer journeys.
World Cup play-off as a treat
Promotion to Group 3 of the second level is once again the declared goal of team boss Rangnick. It is still unclear when and against whom the start will take place in the fall. The Austrians play two games each in September, October and November. UEFA plans to announce the exact schedule on Friday. The group winners are promoted to League A, the runners-up fight for promotion in play-offs.
A good performance in the Nations League would not only result in duels with Europe’s top teams for Austria. The Nations League is linked to the World Cup qualification, so a group win would be practically equivalent to participation in the play-off for the 2026 finals in the USA, Mexico and Canada, unless you go to North America via the World Cup qualification route creates.
Europe has 16 starting places for this tournament. Twelve of them will go to the winners of the twelve groups in the World Cup qualifying, which will be played in 2025. The twelve runners-up in the group and the four best Nations League teams that do not make it into the top two in the World Cup qualification will contest play-offs for the last four tickets in March 2026.
Exciting groups in League A
The draw in Paris also resulted in interesting groups – unsurprisingly, especially in League A. Defending champions Spain will face Denmark, Switzerland and Serbia in Group 4. Croatia, Portugal, Poland and Scotland face each other in Group 1.
Group 3 also promises excitement with still European champions Italy, runner-up world champions France, Belgium and Israel. European Championship hosts Germany face the Netherlands in a prestigious duel in Group 3. There are also duels with Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The winner of the 2024/25 Nations League will be crowned in June 2025.
UEFA Nations League 2024/25
League A: Group 1: Group 2: Group 3: Group 4: Croatia Italy Netherlands Spain Portugal Belgium Hungary Denmark Poland France Germany Switzerland Scotland Israel Bosnia-H. Serbia League B: Group 1: Group 2: Group 3: Group 4: Czech Republic England
Austria
Wales Ukraine Finland Norway Iceland Albania Ireland Slovenia Montenegro Georgia Greece Kazakhstan Turkey League C: Group 1: Group 2: Group 3: Group 4: Sweden Romania Luxembourg Armenia Azerbaijan Kosovo Bulgaria Faroe Islands Slovakia Cyprus Northern Ireland North Macedonia Estonia LTU / GIB * Belarus Latvia League D: Group 1: Group 2: LTU / GIB * Moldova San Marino Malta Liechtenstein Andorra
* Play-off Lithuania – Gibraltar
