World Cup 2026 / Algeria vs Austria: head-to-head history

Algeria vs Austria: who holds the historical edge?

Africa 27 June 2026 at 05:00

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World Cup 2026 / Algeria vs Austria: head-to-head history

27.06.26 FT World Cup

Algeria

Austria

Forty-four years after their only encounter, Algeria and Austria meet once again at the World Cup. This is a matchup steeped in history for the Fennecs, as their first clash with Das Team remains tied to one of football’s most controversial episodes.

The history between Algeria and Austria is summed up in a single meeting. The two national teams have faced off just once, on June 21, 1982 in Oviedo, during the group stage of the World Cup in Spain. On that day, the Greens, buoyed by their stunning upset over West Germany (2-1), fell 2-0 after goals from Walter Schachner and Hans Krankl.

The record speaks for itself: one match, one Austrian win, no draws, and no Algerian victories. The Fennecs have never found the net against Das Team, which has scored twice.

However, this encounter remains closely linked to the infamous “Disgrace of Gijón.” After defeating Chile (3-2), Algeria were eliminated following the alleged arrangement between West Germany and Austria (1-0). This historic scandal led FIFA to mandate that the final group matches be played simultaneously.