Argentina will be looking to seal their place in the knockout stages after another exceptional performance by Lionel Messi against Algeria.

The little maestro scored a hat-trick and now leads the Argentinians into battle against an Austria side who managed to secure their first three points with a comprehensive victory over Jordan.

To celebrate the momentous occasion that is the World Cup, Sportsbet is bringing back its exclusive Super Sub feature!

How does Super Sub work? Well, it’s very simple. Place a bet on select player markets throughout the Men’s World Cup and if that player is subbed off your bet rolls over to the new player that replaced them.

For example, if you’ve bet on Kylian Mbappe to score during one of France’s matches and during that match he fails to do so and is directly substituted for Jean-Philippe Mateta who ends up scoring instead, your original bet on Mbappe is paid as a winner!

Super Sub is not exclusive to goalscoring markets either, it also applies to anytime assist, player to win one or more fouls, shots on target and more, just make sure to read all the T&Cs before locking in your bet.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Argentina to win

Value bet: Over 2.5 Goals

Long shot: Argentina 2-1 correct score

Argentina vs Austria prediction

Given that they are the defending champions, have a squad full of superstars, and made an impressive start to this year’s tournament, it’s no real surprise that Argentina have been made pre-match favourites for this clash.

Many would have thought Algeria would have put up more of a fight in the opening game, but they were simply undone by Messi, who managed to score a hat-trick.

It wasn’t without controversy, though, with many believing Messi should have received a red card for a nasty tackle from behind.

Austria, meanwhile, managed to do what they needed to do against Jordan in their first game. Former Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick’s side weren’t necessarily at their best, but they put on an attacking performance that many will need to be wary of. 

If Argentina aren’t at their best and on it from the beginning, they could face a shock result.

We think they’ll likely get the job done in this one, win the game, and qualify for the next stage of the tournament…

With Messi chasing history, it's a good time to scan the all-time leading goalscorers and see how to bet on the World Cup before this one kicks off.

Argentina vs Austria score prediction

When looking at the early odds to have been listed on our Argentina vs Austria betting odds page, there doesn’t appear to be too much difference in the probability of an event occurring. As such, we think there’s value to be had in those that have slightly longer odds…

The ‘Over 2.5 Goals’ market is one of those. With Argentina likely to win, we think Austria present a credible threat going forward and could make life a little difficult for the current world champions.

Algeria had the ball in the back of the net at one point with a clever finish, showing that Argentinian defence and goalkeeper can be beaten, should the offside trap be beaten first.

Austria scored well-taken goals against Jordan. They weren’t easy by any means, with clever finishes required, particularly the opening goal by Romano Schmid.

As a result, we also think the BTTS also has value to hit in this game, given the quality of the two teams and their respective attacking departments. We think a 2-1 Argentina Correct Score offers good value…

Before you back Argentina here, it's worth brushing up on betting markets across the World Cup and getting your head around how a multi bet works if you fancy stacking this with other group games.

Argentina vs Austria team news and line-ups

Argentina are expected to line up in a 4-3-3. The side operates a fluid pressing system that can control tempo or hit teams on the counter, with plenty of attacking depth across the squad.

Leonardo Balerdi is expected to miss out with a muscle tear, Lionel Messi is reportedly a doubt with a mild hamstring strain, Julian Alvarez faces a late fitness test on an ankle problem, Lautaro Martinez faces a late fitness test, while Emiliano Martinez returns from suspension.

Austria are expected to set up in a 4-2-3-1. Rangnick's side press aggressively from the front and look to win the ball high before launching quick vertical transitions. David Alaba returns from suspension.

Player markets to watch

Messi was the standout player for his country in the first game and will likely be an influential component of the upcoming game against Austria.

His three goals against Algeria mean he is level with Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s all-time goalscorer, and while he may not admit it, it’ll be a record he’ll be aiming to break and set for himself as soon as possible.

Naturally, he won’t offer too much value as an anytime goalscorer (although there is some there), which is why Argentina's goalscorer market is worth exploring. The price is almost double that of anytime at the time of writing, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him score first.

For Austria, Marko Arnautovic has value to score anytime.

The striker might have played just 45 minutes against Jordan, but had one goal from two shots and looked a threat. He scored late on from the penalty spot to seal three points, having also had a big say in the own goal that gave Austria 2-1 lead.

Argentina vs Austria Match Details

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

Kick-off: 3:00am AEST.

Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington.

Where to watch: Sportsbet, SBS.

Where to Watch Argentina vs Austria

For the first time ever, Sportsbet is offering punters the chance to stream World Cup matches live*.

To watch Sportsbet's live streams of the World Cup, you must:

- Be 18+.

- Have a Sportsbet account.

- Be logged into your Sportsbet account.

- Have a positive balance OR have placed a bet in the last 24 hours.

World Cup streaming is available both in-app and on-web. As long as you meet the above requirements, you'll be able to tune in on your computer, tablet or phone.

To access the stream for Argentina vs Austria simply find your way to the official betting page for this match. Or, if you have a bet on the game you can watch from your "My Bets" section.

Traditional World Cup broadcaster SBS is also showing every World Cup match, meaning you can also watch Argentina vs Austria on either SBS, SBS Viceland or SBS On Demand.

*18+ Available to Sportsbet customers only. Conditions apply – see sportsbet.com.au