# Austrian national football team developments > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/austrian-national-football-team-developments > Updated: 2026-09-25T23:30:00.000Z. Sources: 40. Developments: 5. The Austrian national football team is navigating a period of significant transition and performance scrutiny under coach Ralf Rangnick. Following a 0-3 loss to Spain in the World Cup Round of 16, Rangnick criticized the team’s physical condition. He noted a decline in key metrics—including sprinting, ball recovery in the final third, and counter-attacking—where Austria ranked between 25th and 35th out of 48 teams, a sharp drop from their top-three ranking during Euro 2024. Rangnick attributed this to fitness issues, stating eight players, such as Xaver Schlager, were not at full match fitness. Despite tactical debates, he reaffirmed his commitment to a pressing-based style. As the team prepares for the Nations League, the squad faces its first major personnel shift since 2010. The absence of veterans like Marko Arnautovic, David Alaba, and Marcel Sabitzer, alongside injuries to Christoph Baumgartner, has created what midfielder Romano Schmid described as a “noticeable difference” in team dynamics. This turnover is expected to reshape the team’s hierarchy and leadership. In Nations League play, Austria is currently positioned to seek promotion to Liga A. After securing a 3-1 victory over Israel, the team is set to host Kosovo at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna. This matchup features a notable coaching encounter, as Rangnick faces his predecessor, Franco Foda, who now leads the Kosovo squad. Kosovo enters the fixture with momentum following a 1-0 win against Ireland, which moved them to 77th in the FIFA rankings. However, Kosovo will be without captain Amir Rrahmani due to availability issues. Rangnick has indicated potential lineup changes for the fixture, specifically noting that a young goalkeeper is expected to make their debut. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-25: Austria and Kosovo prepare for Nations League clash in Vienna Austria and Kosovo face off in the UEFA Nations League in Vienna, highlighted by a decades-long professional connection between managers Ralf Rangnick and Franco Foda. 24 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uefa-nations-league-fixtures-set-for-september-27-2026 ### 2026-09-25: International football: Austria faces Kosovo and Mexico debuts new coach International football updates feature Austria facing Kosovo in the Nations League and Mexico beginning a new era under coach Rafa Marquez in a match against Colombia. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/international-football-austria-faces-kosovo-and-mexico-debuts-new-coach ### 2026-09-21: Austrian national football team begins training amid major squad changes The Austrian national football team enters a period of transition as key players like David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic are absent from the squad ahead of the Nations League. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/austrian-national-football-team-begins-training-amid-major-squad-changes ### 2026-09-19: Ralf Rangnick criticizes Austria's World Cup performance Austria coach Ralf Rangnick criticized his team's fitness and performance following their World Cup exit, while LASK captain Sascha Horvath is a favorite for the professional players' Bruno Award. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ralf-rangnick-criticizes-austrias-world-cup-performance ### 2026-09-14: Austrian national team undergoes squad overhaul for Nations League Austrian coach Ralf Rangnick has named a revamped 27-man squad for the Nations League, introducing several newcomers while omitting David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/austrian-national-team-undergoes-squad-overhaul-for-nations-league --- Cite as: Austrian national football team developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/austrian-national-football-team-developments