KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – One of the final two group stage matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played Saturday night in Kansas City and decades of history ride behind the matchup.
Algeria and Austria will close group stage play Saturday night at 9 p.m. CT. At the same time, Group J winner Argentina will play in Dallas against Jordan.
Because Argentina has already won the group and Algeria and Austria each have 3 points from their victories over Jordan, the two teams will know exactly what scenario advances the teams to the Round of 32 when they take the pitch.
As a result, fears of a sequel to “The Disgrace of Gijon” have come to light.
What was the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’?
In the 1982 FIFA World Cup, West Germany and Austria went into their final group stage match knowing a German victory by only one or two goals would advance both teams to the knockout stage.
A goal in the 10th minute of the match from West Germany gave the Germans the lead they needed, and set the stage for the game’s final result. The final shot attempt on goal came in the 54th minute, both teams completed over 90% of their passes, and the game saw fewer than half the amount of shots (13) as the average during that year’s World Cup tournament (30).
Fans in attendance whistled at backward and sideward passes and commentators acknowledged the atmosphere in the Spanish city getting “sourer.”
Algerian soccer fans show money to the photographers in Gijon, Spain, on June 25, 1982, after the Football World Cup game between West Germany and Austria ended with a 1-0 for West Germany. The Algerians, who had a chance to proceed further in the Cup tournament if Germany drew or looses or if Austria looses with a higher score by the Germans, claim that the 1-0 was a fake. Algeria, who had won two games in the first round are now out of the Cup. (AP Photo)(AP)
When the game went final at 1-0, Algeria (who played the day prior) was eliminated, and West Germany and Austria advanced.
FIFA makes changes
Because of the largely uncompetitive match, FIFA changed its rules to make the final group stage matches be played simultaneously.
But with head-to-head becoming the main tiebreaker in this year’s expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup, and eight third-place teams advancing to the Round of 32, both Algeria and Austria could advance with a tie.
Group J standings
TeamMatches PlayedWinsDrawsLossesGoal DifferentialPointsArgentina2200+56Austria210103Algeria2101-23Jordan2002-30
Algeria-Austria
Saturday will be the first time Algeria and Austria have matched up since the group stage 44 years ago. But in an ironic twist of fate, many have spent the week wondering what the motivation levels will be for the two teams when play kicks off Saturday night.
Based on this year’s expanded tournament and the pre-assigned matchups of groups for knockout stage matches, the first-place team in Group H (likely to be Spain) would play the second-place team in Group J on July 2 in Los Angeles.
The third-place team in Group J is likely to play either the winner of Group G (likely to be Egypt) or Switzerland, which won Group B. Either of those potential matchups for a third-place team would appear to be better than a matchup with Spain, which ranks third in FIFA’s men’s world rankings.
Algeria’s Anis Hadj Moussa, left, and Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez battle for the ball during the World Cup Group J soccer match between Argentina and Algeria in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)(Charlie Riedel | AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
However, if Uruguay beats Spain Friday night in Guadalajara, Mexico, Spain would drop into second place in Group H and match up with Argentina, the winner of Group J.
In that case, Algeria and Austria could head into Saturday’s match in Kansas City with an increased effort to take second place in Group J and advance to play Uruguay instead.
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