Football World Cup Qualifiers: ÖFB Sports Director Schöttel Convinced of End to World Cup Drought

ÖFB Sports Director Peter Schöttel is aware of the far-reaching significance of a ticket to the 2026 finals in North America, which goes beyond football. A day after the 2-1 victory in the qualifying match in Zenica against Bosnia, the 58-year-old Viennese spoke to the APA - Austria Press Agency about the current situation, the progress of preparations for the tournament, and the undisputed favorite role.

ÖFB Sports Chief Schöttel: "Starting Position is Very Good"

APA: Four wins from four games. How good do you consider the starting position on the way to the World Cup?

Schöttel: "The starting position is very good. With the victory in Bosnia, we have kept all options open and have started the qualification optimally. It looks good, but only the first half of the games has been played. You can see that the games - with the exception of San Marino - were all close. And there is a return match with Bosnia. We are definitely not through yet, but the direction is right, and we will achieve it."

APA: The return match against Bosnia on November 18 in Vienna has always been set as the target day. Theoretically, World Cup participation could be secured three days earlier in Cyprus.

Schöttel: "Theoretically, there are many scenarios, but we first have to win in Romania and Cyprus. These are difficult tasks before possibly facing this final match with Bosnia. Cyprus, for example, is difficult for all teams in the group to beat, as we have seen."

APA: The preparation for the November double-header is already taking place in Cyprus. What was the reasoning from the ÖFB's perspective?

Schöttel: "In November, wherever we are, it is always difficult to find training grounds of good quality. Therefore, it made sense for us to meet in Cyprus right on Monday (November 10/Note) and prepare there. The considerations are primarily logistical because we repeatedly have discussions about optimal training conditions. Hopefully, these will be over when we move into the campus (in Vienna-Aspern)."

Narrow Wins in Football World Cup Qualifiers Very Valuable

APA: You mentioned the close games. Although the opponents were not recently played off the park, these matches were won. What does that do to the team?

Schöttel: "These were very valuable victories. We achieved them due to our unity and our experience. In Bosnia, every team definitely struggles; it is a very special atmosphere. Basically, you grow with such things. Winning such games and knowing that you still have room for improvement is the ideal scenario. It benefits every team. When you play superbly and have the exact day when everything goes right, it's easy. But these difficult victories and especially this result help us a lot for the upcoming games."

APA: The first World Cup participation since 1998 is very close. What significance would it have for Austrian football to bring it to the streets and participate once again?

Schöttel: "I believe that football-Austria simply needs this, this very big tournament, to finally participate again. I think it would do all of Austria good, that the whole nation can look forward to something like this again in a difficult situation - not only concerning football but also generally concerning society."

Plans for the 2026 Football World Cup are already underway

APA: The plans for the World Cup must already be underway in the background. How much manpower is currently being invested in this?

Schöttel: "Lennart Coerdt is intensely involved with the topic. He has this in his job profile as a team and project manager. He has already been to the USA to make contacts, look at locations and settings. This is not presumptuous, so we see it as a given that we are participating. It is simply our task to prepare. And now it really looks good that we will qualify. I was also in Qatar for a few days in 2022 before the play-off against Wales to look at everything. Unfortunately, that was then relatively quickly over."

APA: What do you see as the key to successfully completing it this time?

Schöttel: "That we continue just as seriously. This team simply has the goal of going to the World Cup. They pursue this very, very consistently with the coaching staff. We hope that no one gets injured, that is always the most important thing. But we also hope that some players get into a better playing rhythm, that the situation improves at some clubs and they get their playing time. And then I think we can live up to our role as favorites."

APA: What sets the team apart from other teams that have tried in recent years, almost decades, but probably never came as close to a World Cup as is the case now?

Schöttel: "It was very important to be drawn from pot one due to the results and performances of recent years. This is often forgotten because it eliminates some of the big obstacles. We have always seen ourselves as favorites in this group. We have a high opinion of the players, and they have a high opinion of themselves too. This is important because it gives us a very confident team. Currently, there is much to suggest that we have the quality, but also the confidence and the relentless will to go there."

(The interview was conducted by Florian Haselmayer/APA)

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