LIVESTREAM Austria: Graz Giants @ Swarco Raiders Tirol, April 26, 18:00 CET,(6 pm, 12 noon ET)

The Swarco Raiders Tirol (1-2) welcome the Graz Giants (2-1) to the American Football Center Innsbruck on Saturday at 6:00 PM CET, as both teams jockey for playoff positioning in the Austrian Football League’s tightly contested standings.

Raiders seek momentum after breakthrough
Fresh off a dominant 31-14 road win over the Prague Black Panthers, the Raiders aim to build on their first victory. Head Coach Dominik Bauer emphasized consistency: “We must avoid unnecessary mistakes and keep our momentum rising. Our preseason scrimmage against Graz showed their strengths, but we’ve grown since.” QB Stefan Maiacher’s  connection with receiver Felix Kantner (2 TDs vs. Prague) could test the Giants’ secondary.

Giants regroup after narrow loss
Graz’s 24-22 Week 3 heartbreak loss against the Danube Dragons—decided by a failed two-point conversion—exposed resilience despite the result. Head Coach Stefan Pokorny remains optimistic: “We’re facing a confident Raiders team, but we’ll build on our strong fourth quarter in Vienna.” RB Fritz Bleckmann’s league-leading 253 rushing yards will challenge a Raiders run defense allowing 120.3 yards per game.

Key matchup: Red zone efficiency
The Giants’ red-zone defense (75% stops) clashes with the Raiders’ improving scoring rate (3 TDs last week). Graz’s pass rush, led by DL Martin Wallensteiner must disrupt Maiacher’s rhythm to avoid a shootout.

With both teams within striking distance of the playoff picture, this clash could define their midseason trajectories. A Raiders win would signal a true turnaround, while the Giants aim to prove their 2-1 start reflects legitimate title ambition.