Argentina vs Austria LIVE: Today’s venue and lineups confirmed! Lionel Messi chases 2026 World Cup Round of 32 spot

Argentina face Austria in a crucial 2026 World Cup Group J clash as Lionel Messi looks to lead La Albiceleste into the Round of 32. Follow our live minute‑by‑minute coverage.

By Alexander Rosquez

Updated on June 22, 2026 12:32PM EDT

**© Michael Steele-Christian Hofer/Getty Images**Lionel Messi of Argentina (left) and Romano Schmid of Austria.

Argentina return to action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday when Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste face Austria at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. A victory would secure Argentina’s place in the Round of 32 and move the defending world champions one step closer to winning Group J.

[Watch Argentina vs Austria in the USA on Fubo]

Messi enters the match after a historic performance against Algeria, scoring a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 opening victory. The three goals allowed the Argentine captain to draw level with Miroslav Klose atop the all-time World Cup scoring list with 16 goals, adding another milestone to his legendary international career.

Austria will provide a difficult challenge after opening the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Jordan. Goals from Romano Schmid, an own goal byYazan Al-Arab, and a late penalty from Marko Arnautovic lifted Ralf Rangnick‘s side to three points, setting up a showdown between the top two teams in Group J.

12:30PM

Both teams warming up

Players from both sides are out on the pitch at Dallas Stadium, going through their warm‑up routines as kickoff approaches.

12:20PM

Julián Álvarez left out of the starting lineup

Why Julián Álvarez isn’t starting today for Argentina vs Austria at the 2026 World Cup Argentina play their Matchday 2 Group J game against Austria with Julián Álvarez starting on the bench. Scaloni opts for a different attacking structure as Lionel Messi leads the frontline in a crucial clash for a Round of 32 spot.

12:10PM

Today’s venue

Today’s action takes place at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium), which is configured for a FIFA World Cup capacity of 94,000 spectators, making it the largest venue used in the 2026 tournament.
Home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, the stadium has been adapted for World Cup requirements, including expanded media areas and a retractable roof that ensures ideal conditions for this Group J clash.

12:00PM

Austria lineup confirmed

Austria’s starting XI: Alexander Schlager; Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba (C); Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, Marcel Sabitzer, Romano Schmid, Konrad Laimer, Paul Wanner; Michael Gregoritsch.

Our 𝙇𝙄𝙉𝙀𝙐𝙋. Let's gooooooo! 👊💥 #GemeinsamÖSTERREICH #ATeamOneFamily #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/44yg02rBkU
— ÖFB - oefb.at (@oefb1904) June 22, 2026

11:50AM

Argentina lineup confirmed

Argentina’s starting XI: Emiliano Martínez; Lisandro Martínez, Cristian Romero, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández; Lionel Messi (C), Thiago Almada, Lautaro Martínez.

📝🇦🇷 This is how we come out to face Austria! 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/WtyCOxK4Ik
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) June 22, 2026

11:40AM

Today's referees

The match will be officiated by a FIFA‑appointed crew led by Amin Mohamed of Egypt.

Referee: Amin Mohamed (Egypt)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahmoud Abouelregal (Egypt)
Assistant Referee 2: Ahmed Hossam Taha (Egypt)
Reserve assistant referee: Diego Sanchez Rojo (Spain)
Fourth Official: Alejandro Hernández (Spain)
VAR: Mamdouh Ashour (Egypt)
Support video assistant referee: Tatiana Guzman (Nicaragua)

11:20AM

Kickoff time and how to watch!

The match between Argentina and Austria is scheduled to start at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT on Monday, June 22, 2026, at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium).
In the United States, the game will be broadcast live on FOX and Telemundo, with streaming available on Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, and Peacock Premium.

11:00AM

Argentina vs Austria clash in their second 2026 World Cup game in Dallas

Welcome to our live blog! This time, Argentina face Austria at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium) in Arlington, Texas, in their second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A win would secure Argentina’s place in the Round of 32 and move the defending world champions one step closer to winning Group J. Stay with us for all the action and minute‑by‑minute updates from Dallas.

Alexander Rosquez

Alexander Rosquez is a bilingual sports writer, fluent in English and Spanish, who joined Bolavip in June 2024. Bringing over 15 years of media experience, Alexander has covered a wide range of sports events, including soccer, MLB, and NHL. His expertise lies in real-time coverage of competitions across various globally relevant sports leagues. Before joining Bolavip, he gained extensive experience in MLB and soccer coverage for both national and international media outlets. His discipline in sports event coverage and meticulous attention to detail make him a valuable asset to the Bolavip team.