Ralf Rangnick’s squad earned their first World Cup ticket since the late 1990s after recovering from an early setback against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Vienna.
The visiting side struck before the quarter-hour mark, with Haris Tabakovic finishing a quick move to put Bosnia-Herzegovina ahead.
Austria continued to push throughout the second half and finally leveled when Michael Gregoritsch reacted quickest to a rebound and drove the ball in with just over ten minutes left.
The equalizer confirmed Austria’s place at next year’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Bosnia-Herzegovina fall into the play-off path
For the travelling team, only a win would have secured direct qualification. After opening the scoring, Bosnia-Herzegovina remained one strike away from reaching the finals but could not regain their advantage after the late equalizer.
Their campaign now continues through the playoffs, where they must prevail in two single-match knockouts to claim a place at the tournament.
The draw leaves them finishing behind Austria in Group H despite their strong start in Vienna.
Rangnick’s influence on Austria’s rise
Rangnick took over the national side after his short interim spell at Manchester United during the 2021–22 season. Under his guidance, Austria advanced to Euro 2024, defeating Poland and the Netherlands before exiting in the round of 16 against Turkey.
His leadership has carried into this qualifying cycle, where his group posted six victories, one draw, and one defeat to finish with 19 points.
That total placed them two points clear of Bosnia-Herzegovina after eight Group H fixtures.
