There are easier ways to ease your way back into European football than a Sunday afternoon appointment with Austria. For the Belgian Barbarians, however, that is precisely the attraction. Their rebuilt national team heads to Salzburg on October 4 to face the champions of 2023 and 2025 as the 2026-27 IFAF Men’s European Championships begin another two-year campaign.
Kickoff at the American Footballzentrum aka The Duckpond is 13:00 local time. Austria will be expected to win, but there is more to this opener than a familiar heavyweight welcoming an ambitious challenger. The hosts are also starting again, with a new head coach and more than half their squad preparing for a first senior international appearance.
Austria begins a new chapter
Stefan Pokorny has selected 24 debutants among his 45 players. That is a substantial changing of the guard for a country defending consecutive European titles. Nico Hrouda takes over at quarterback, giving Belgium an early look at the next version of an Austrian team that has set a demanding standard for everyone else.
Pokorny wants the new group to develop its identity without lowering its ambitions. In the Austrian federation’s announcement, he praised the opening camp and stressed the importance of bringing the players together before their first competitive examination. Salzburg will provide the first indication of how quickly that process is taking shape.
The previous edition offers a useful reminder of the level Austria reached. Germany fell 30–9 in the semifinals before Finland was shut out 27–0 in the championship game. Belgium therefore faces a program accustomed to controlling games against considerably more established opposition. A few unfamiliar names on the team sheet hardly amount to an invitation to make yourself comfortable.
Watch live. Belgium @ Austria, Oct. 4, 13:00 CET (1 pm, 7 am ET)
Belgium building for the future
For Belgian head coach Cyrille Bouron, the trip is part of a longer project. Blindside Media reports that an initial group of 75 players was reduced to 45 following two selection camps and weekly Sunday practices. The intention is to bring younger players through while retaining veterans who can contribute now and help prepare their successors.
Bouron also wants international football to give Belgian players greater visibility. The opportunity to represent their country matters in itself, but these games can also show what they offer beyond their domestic clubs. His challenge is to make that ambition count once the ball is snapped against one of Europe’s strongest programs.
“We know the challenge will be huge, but that is exactly what we are looking for,” Bouron told IFAF.
Belgium’s involvement should be understood as a return for a rebuilt program. Despite references to a first European appearance in the current publicity, the Barbarians have played European qualifiers before. AFI covered their 32–23 victory over Israel in October 2019. There is history here, even if this group is beginning its own chapter.
Belgium must avoid giving Austria opportunities
The immediate football requirements are straightforward enough. Belgium needs manageable third downs, secure possession and tackling that prevents routine gains from becoming long touchdowns. Giving Austria short fields would make an already difficult assignment considerably harder. Sustained drives would also give the Belgian defense a chance to recover and keep the contest within reach.
Austria’s task is to establish rhythm without assuming that the shirts alone will do the work. With so many newcomers, communication and execution deserve as much attention as the scoreboard. Belgium should look to test that cohesion early, before the hosts settle into a comfortable afternoon. An underdog cannot afford to spend the opening quarter admiring the opposition’s credentials.
A two-year road begins
The broader competition stretches well beyond Sunday. IFAF lists 11 teams across four Level 1 groups, with Austria, Belgium and Türkiye together in Group A. Group winners advance to the semifinals in August 2027, ahead of the title game in October. Georgia, Spain and a Great Britain development team contest Level 2. This is the opening weekend of a campaign, not a short tournament with a trophy waiting next Sunday.
Austria is the clear favorite. For Belgium, the useful questions are how consistently it can compete, how it responds when the pressure builds and which players look ready for this level. Those answers will matter long after the Salzburg scoreboard is switched off. There will be no shortage of lessons on Sunday.
How to watch Austria vs Belgium
Watch Austria vs Belgium on Sunday, October 4 via Streamster. Coverage is scheduled from 12:55 CEST, with kickoff at 13:00 CEST, the same time in Austria and Belgium; UK kickoff is noon.