Austria have named a strong 28-man squad for their upcoming international friendly against Ghana, with captain David Alaba headlining a group that will face the Black Stars at the Ernst Happel-Stadion in Vienna on Friday, March 27th.
Manager Ralf Rangnick has called up a side packed with quality, including veteran forward Marko Arnautović and experienced attacker Michael Gregoritsch alongside the Real Madrid defender.
In midfield, high-profile names such as Konrad Laimer and Marcel Sabitzer will anchor Austria's engine room, offering a stern test for Ghana ahead of the World Cup.
Two New Faces, One Familiar Connection
The squad carries an interesting subplot for Ghanaian fans. Rangnick has also included Kevin Danso, the defender with Ghanaian roots, as well as Carney Chukwuemeka, who has Nigerian heritage, both adding a layer of dual-heritage intrigue to the fixture.
FIFA recently granted approval for both Chukwuemeka and Paul Wanner to change their international allegiance and represent Austria, giving Rangnick two exciting additions to his options ahead of their first World Cup since 1998.
For Rangnick and his coaching staff, the friendly offers a chance to evaluate how the newcomers fit into the team's tactical system, with the potential upside of adding technically gifted players with experience in top European leagues.
The Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Patrick Pentz, Alexander Schlager, Tobias Lawal, Florian Wiegele
Defenders: David Alaba, Kevin Danso, Philipp Lienhart, Stefan Posch, Maximilian Wöber, Marco Friedl, Michael Svoboda, David Affengruber
Midfielders: Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, Nicolas Seiwald, Romano Schmid, Florian Grillitsch, Alexander Prass, Alessandro Schöpf, Xaver Schlager, Christoph Baumgartner, Paul Wanner
Forwards: Marko Arnautović, Michael Gregoritsch, Sasa Kalajdzic, Patrick Wimmer, Phillipp Mwene, Carney Chukwuemeka
World Cup Context
Both nations come into the fixture with the 2026 FIFA World Cup firmly in mind. Austria secured qualification for the global showpiece for the first time since 1998, topping Group H with 19 points. At the tournament, the Austrians have been drawn in Group J alongside reigning champions Argentina, Algeria and Jordan.
Ghana, meanwhile, will compete in Group L, where the four-time African champions will face Panama, England and Croatia. The Black Stars will open their 2026 World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17th in Toronto, before facing England in Boston on June 23rd and Croatia on June 27th.
Ghana's preparations do not end in Vienna. Otto Addo's side will also face Germany in Stuttgart on March 30th, before further friendlies against Mexico in May and Wales on June 2nd, to round off their build-up to the tournament.
