Spain vs Austria FIFA World Cup 2026 (Getty Images)Spain head into the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage with growing belief after finishing top of Group H without losing a match. Their campaign has been built on control, defensive discipline, and a midfield capable of dictating the tempo against any opponent. Austria arrives with momentum of their own after surviving a dramatic final group-stage test to qualify from Group J. While Spain remain clear favourite on paper, Austria's aggressive pressing and resilience have made them one of the tournament's surprise teams, setting up an intriguing Round of 32 contest at SoFi Stadium.Spain vs Austria: Key match detailsSpain face Austria in the Round of 32 on Thursday, July 2, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg in charge.Kick-off times across regions are:* U.S. (ET): Thursday, July 2, 3 p.m.* UK (BST): Thursday, July 2, 8 p.m.* India (IST): Friday, July 3, 12:30 a.m.* Australia (AEST): Friday, July 3, 5 a.m.Spain secured first place in Group H after edging Uruguay 1-0. It was not their most fluent attacking display, but they once again showed why they have been among the hardest teams to break down in the tournament.Austria's route to the knockout stage was far more dramatic. After conceding in the 93rd minute against Algeria, Sasa Kalajdzic rescued qualification with a 96th-minute equalizer that sealed second place in Group J. That late escape has only strengthened the belief inside the Austrian camp ahead of their biggest test yet.The winner will move into the Round of 16, where either Portugal or Croatia awaits.How can you watch Spain vs Austria live online?Fans across different regions have several broadcast options for the match.Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch on BBC One. In the United States, the game will be shown on Fox Sports. Zee5 will stream the match for audiences in India, while SBS holds the broadcast rights in Australia.Supporters looking for live match coverage can also follow ESPN's live updates throughout the game.How can you watch Spain vs Austria using a VPN?Supporters travelling overseas may find that their regular streaming subscriptions are blocked because of regional broadcasting restrictions.Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows users to connect through a server in their home country and access services they normally subscribe to. Providers such as ExpressVPN offer encrypted connections that can help viewers watch matches while travelling, provided doing so complies with the streaming platform's terms of service and local laws.What are the predicted line-ups for Spain vs Austria?Spain could be without Nico Williams and Yéremy Pino, who suffered injuries during the win over Uruguay.Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simón; Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Mikel Merino, Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Álex Baena.Austria also have fitness concerns, with David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic battling to recover after picking up knocks against Algeria.Austria: Alexander Schlager; Stefan Posch, Philipp Lienhart, Kevin Danso, Konrad Laimer; Nicolas Seiwald, Xaver Schlager; Romano Schmid, Paul Wanner, Marcel Sabitzer; Sasa Kalajdzic.What is the head-to-head record between Spain and AustriaSpain have enjoyed the upper hand in this fixture for decades. They are unbeaten across their last five meetings with Austria, recording four wins and one draw.Austria's only victory came in the 1978 FIFA World Cup, where they claimed a 2-1 win. Since then, Spain have consistently controlled this matchup, including a commanding 5-1 friendly victory in Vienna in 2009 and a 4-0 World Cup qualifying win in 2001.Although history favors Spain, knockout football rarely follows the script. Austria's disciplined defensive shape and quick transitions have already unsettled quality opponents in this tournament. Spain's ability to control possession should give them the edge, but if Austria can force turnovers and turn the match into an open contest, this Round of 32 encounter could become far tighter than many expect.