Algeria against Austria, one of the last pair of World Cup 2026 group-stage fixtures, could provide rich pickings for lovers of stories and histories. In Kansas City, a controversy 44 years in the making may get a repeat or even revenge.
Before all that, though, the task is simple. First and fourth in Group J are both settled and this is a straight shoot-out for second. Austria need a draw to be runners-up to Lionel Messi's Argentina, while Algeria must win.
- Kick-off time: 3:00am BST / 10:00pm ET (Sat) / 12:00pm AEST
- FREE Stream: BBC (UK) / SBS (AUS)
- TV & Streaming: FS1 (US)
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Both teams have three points, and before kick-off Algeria will know whether a draw would secure them progress via a best third-place spot.
Algeria's last trip beyond the group stage was in Brazil in 2014. Last time they won more than once at a World Cup was in 1982, when Austria may or may not have colluded with West Germany to produce a 1-0 win, the only result that ensured both the European neighbours qualified, and eliminated Algeria.
Plenty in Algeria haven't forgotten. Yet a win for the North African nation in 2026 would give them a harder knockout draw that wouldn't really do them any favours. Are they compelled more by revenge over Austria in the teams' first meeting since the Shame of Gijon, or their own self interest and become everything they've hated for 44 years?
It's possible to overthink these things, though, isn't it? Isn't it?
Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Algeria vs Austria in the FIFA World Cup 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere.
Watch Algeria vs Austria for FREE
Algeria vs Austria will be free-to-stream across multiple regions, including BBC in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.
English commentary will be provided on BBC, RTE Player and SBS On Demand.
‼️ Outside one of these countries? Use Norton VPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world — more on that below.
Watch Algeria vs Austria from anywhere
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How to watch Algeria vs Austria in the UK
In the UK, you can stream Algeria vs Austria on BBC Two. The build-up starts at 2:45am BST, ahead of the kick-off at 3:00am BST.
How to watch Algeria vs Austria in the US
In the US, you can stream Algeria vs Austria on FS1.
This channel is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.
How to watch Algeria vs Austria in Australia
In Australia, you can watch Algeria vs Austria on the free SBS On Demand.
Algeria vs Austria: World Cup 2026 Preview
Austria's last World Cup, in 1998, wasn't all they hoped it would be. After missing out on a trip to the United States four years earlier, they lost to Italy in the group stage and drew with Cameroon and Chile.
Many of Ralf Rangnick's players weren't even born when the wonderful Ivica Vastic scored the goal against Chile that offered hope of a place in the second round, before the Azzurri crushed their dreams. Algeria have qualified twice in the intervening years.
It's impossible to ignore the fact that these teams have so far played Argentina and Jordan, which means they've had to overcome a determined effort against the latter, before or after falling victim to football's ultimate one-man goalscoring show when facing the former.
Rangnick's team played three warm-up friendlies, all of them against World Cup participants and all wins. Their most recent non-Messi loss was against Romania at the end of qualifying last October.
Algeria conceded fewer goals against Argentina but also scored fewer against Jordan, though Austria made harder work of that fixture. Messi aside, Algeria's last defeat was against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in January.
There is one big positive omen for Austria. When they last made it out of the group stage – into a second group stage, in that case – they won their only previous fixture against Algeria to get there. But they won't have the aforementioned West Germany incident to help them now, 44 years on.
Algeria vs Austria: Group J
FourFourTwo's prediction
Algeria 2-2 Austria
FourFourTwo predicts a game that's too close to call, goes back and fourth, but ultimately reaches the last few minutes with two sides happy enough to hold what they have.
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