*This content was translated by AI.
Local reports said a warm-up match between South Korea and the Austrian national soccer team to prepare for the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup will be held in Vienna, Austria, on March 31.
Local media, including Austria's Courier and German kicker, reported in unison on the 13th (Korea Standard Time) that the warm-up match between Korea and Austria will be held at Ernst Havel Stadion. It is expected to be dawn on April 1 in Korean time.
The warm-up match between South Korea and Austria was already pre-released through an interview with Austrian national team coach Ralf Rangnick last month. At the time, Rangnick directly mentioned South Korea as one of the two consecutive warm-up matches in March in an interview with a local broadcaster.
"It is the fourth time for the Austrian national team to face a national team belonging to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), after Israel, Iran, and Japan," Kicker said. "Lee Tae-seok (Austria Vienna) belongs to Korea, and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), who played for Salzburg in the past, will also be on the national team with Son Heung-min (LAFC)."
Austria is ranked 24th in the FIFA rankings, two places lower than Korea (22nd). In this North American World Cup European qualifying round, he passed Group H with six wins, one draw and one loss (19 points), beating Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania. It is the first time in 28 years that he has advanced to the World Cup finals since the 1998 World Cup in France.
South Korea, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will go on an expedition to Europe for the first time in two and a half years since the Wales expedition in September 2023 under former coach Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany). However, ahead of the World Cup, most European strong teams have already confirmed their opponents for two consecutive warm-up matches or left for other continents such as North and Central America, not Europe, making it difficult to find an opponent for the warm-up match.
However, through the match against Austria, it is meaningful to prepare for the winner of the European Playoff (PO) Pass D, which will be in the same group as the World Cup finals. The European PO will be held in March, and Denmark, the Czech Republic, Ireland, and North Macedonia belong to Pass D. One of these four teams belongs to the same group as Korea. Denmark ranks 21st, the Czech Republic 44th, Ireland 59th, and North Macedonia 66th.
However, in addition to Austria, the remaining one of South Korea's two consecutive games is still in mystery. With no other candidates mentioned, Austria remains in Europe in March and has the highest FIFA ranking among European teams whose schedules have yet to be finalized. If they meet another European team, they may have to play a warm-up match against a team whose FIFA ranking is lower than that of Austria.
For now, a "neutral warm-up match" with an African team in preparation for South Africa in the same group as the World Cup seems likely. In line with the African Cup of Nations, many African teams have not yet confirmed their A-match schedule in March, and many teams are actually heading to Europe in March. Austria will play a warm-up match against Ghana before the match against Korea. Scotland is likely to be the remaining opponent of Japan, who has been confirmed to be away to England, while Scotland is likely to play a warm-up match with Ivory Coast in addition to the match against Japan.
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*This content was translated by AI.
