Levi Rothermund
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Ireland and Austria’s predicted lineups take shape ahead of their UEFA Nations League meeting on Thursday 1 October 2026, with Austria’s selection headache the more interesting story of the two. Five unavailable names leave Ralf Rangnick needing fresh solutions across defence and midfield, while Heimir Hallgrímsson’s group heads into the game with no such concerns on the injury front. Both projections are built from what each side actually did in their last two matches, not from any official team announcement.
Predicted Ireland Line-up
Ireland’s predicted line-up is set up in a 3-4-2-1, the shape Heimir Hallgrímsson prefers as head coach. The selection looks largely settled, with 9 of the projected XI starting their last match, underlining how consistent things have been across the two games used here. Caoimhin Kelleher has started both matches in goal, an ever-present on the team sheet, while Finn Azaz’s place is less certain – he started only one of the two games and was left out of the most recent one.
Ireland predicted XI: Caoimhin Kelleher; Jake O’Brien, Dara O’Shea, Liam Kitching; James Abankwah, Jayson Molumby, Ryan Manning, Conor Coventry, Jason Knight, Finn Azaz; Troy Parrott
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Caoimhin Kelleher | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 5 | Jake O’Brien | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 4 | Dara O’Shea | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 12 | Liam Kitching | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 20 | James Abankwah | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 6 | Jayson Molumby | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 3 | Ryan Manning | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 14 | Conor Coventry | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 8 | Jason Knight | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 14 | Finn Azaz | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 7 | Troy Parrott | 2/2 | 2/2 |
Austria Predicted XI
Austria are projected to set up in a 4-2-3-1, the formation Ralf Rangnick has favoured throughout his time in charge. Their expected XI is also largely settled, with 9 of the projected XI starting their last match, a similar level of continuity to their opponents. Kevin Danso has been ever-present across the two matches used here, anchoring the back line, while Marco Grüll’s involvement is less assured – he started once but was left out of the most recent fixture.
Austria predicted XI: Christian Zawieschitzky; Kevin Danso, David Affengruber, Maximilian Wöber, Stefan Posch; Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, Romano Schmid, Patrick Wimmer, Marco Grüll; Junior Chukwubuike Adamu
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 13 | Christian Zawieschitzky | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| D | 3 | Kevin Danso | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 2 | David Affengruber | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| D | 14 | Maximilian Wöber | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| D | 5 | Stefan Posch | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 4 | Xaver Schlager | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 6 | Nicolas Seiwald | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 18 | Romano Schmid | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 21 | Patrick Wimmer | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 19 | Marco Grüll | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 8 | Junior Chukwubuike Adamu | 1/2 | 1/2 |
Injuries and Suspensions
On the team news front, no absentees are recorded in the data for Ireland, leaving Hallgrímsson with his full group to choose from. Should injury or fatigue force a change, Adam Idah is among the bench options with a start already to his name in the matches used here, offering an attacking alternative up top.
Austria’s picture is more complicated: Konrad Laimer, Michael Gregoritsch, Phillipp Mwene, Paul Wanner and Nikolas Veratschnig are out injured, a list that hits the defence hardest with three of the five absences coming from that line. Alexander Schlager and Philipp Lienhart, each with a start in the matches used here, look the most likely names to step into the group if further changes are required.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Konrad Laimer | D | injured | Adductor injury |
| Michael Gregoritsch | F | injured | Sprained ankle |
| Phillipp Mwene | D | injured | Thigh problems |
| Paul Wanner | M | injured | Foot injury |
| Nikolas Veratschnig | D | injured | Jumpers knee |
How These Line-ups Were Picked
This predicted lineup was built by looking at each side’s last two matches, the maximum available in the data used here, with more recent games weighted more heavily than older ones. Players confirmed injured or suspended, such as Austria’s five absentees, were removed before the projection was assembled. Because so few matches are available for both sides, this remains a tentative projection rather than a settled forecast, and it will be updated once the official team is confirmed.
Read Also: Ireland vs Austria Prediction: 01.10.2026 UEFA Nations League
FAQ
Who is predicted to start in goal for Ireland vs Austria?
Caoimhin Kelleher is projected to start in goal for Ireland, having started both of the matches used in this projection. For Austria, Christian Zawieschitzky is the projected goalkeeper.
What formation will Ireland and Austria play?
Ireland are projected to use a 3-4-2-1 shape under Heimir Hallgrímsson, while Austria are expected to line up in Ralf Rangnick’s preferred 4-2-3-1.
Who is unavailable for Ireland vs Austria?
Ireland have no absentees recorded in the data. Austria are without Konrad Laimer, Michael Gregoritsch, Phillipp Mwene, Paul Wanner and Nikolas Veratschnig, all out injured.
When do Ireland and Austria kick off?
The UEFA Nations League match between Ireland and Austria kicks off on Thursday 1 October 2026.