Tomorrow the preparation for Sweden begins

Austria’s national football team will be finishing their appearance in Linz today from 8.30 p.m. (live ticker on nachrichten.at) with the test match against the Republic of Moldova. After that, the entire focus is on the game on Tuesday in Solna against Sweden. Team boss Ralf Rangnick also anticipated the selection of the line-up for the game in Linz and spared one or two players.

Immediately after the match, the team went back to the team camp in Windischgarsten, where they will not only spend the weekend but also complete their final training on Monday. Only then do you make your way to Linz-Hörsching Airport, where the ÖFB AUA charter plane takes off towards Stockholm.

There was a surprise for the national team on Wednesday evening at the team camp in the Hotel Dilly in Windischgarsten. Paul Pizzera and Christopher Seiler stopped by the internal team evening for a mini-concert and performed the new national team hit “Hoch gwinn mas (n)imma” – there was at least as much applause for that as for the team players at an international match.

Linz has a positive effect

Upper Austria is not only a benefit for the national team in terms of sport, the international matches in Linz also have a positive impact financially. The ÖFB can make more money with a sold-out stadium in Linz than with a sold-out Ernst Happel Stadium. The reason is the much higher number of exclusive business seats. That’s why ÖFB economic director Bernhard Neuhold can hope for a profit in the millions this year.

“We have budgeted a low seven-figure positive amount for 2023. We are well on track,” explained Neuhold. After a black zero in 2020, there was a loss in the mid-six-digit range in 2021 and a decline in the low seven-digit range in 2022. “In the last two years, Covid was still an issue. We were not able to sell hospitality tickets and normal tickets to the same extent as usual, and there were also collective wage increases and inflation as cost drivers,” said the managing director.

“Nevertheless, the ÖFB is on a stable economic basis and still has positive equity in the double-digit million range,” emphasized Neuhold.

The outlook gives confidence: This year, the ÖFB will generate sales of over 50 million euros and generate over 10 million euros in sponsorship income – more than ever before in its history. You also benefit from an increase in federal sports funding, and there is also a second VIP club in the Happelstadion. In addition, the ÖFB will cash in again this year with the already sold-out European Championship qualifier against Belgium. The home game against Germany still awaits in November, which will also be played in a sold-out Ernst Happel Stadium.

Major project Vienna-Aspern

In terms of expenditure, the major ÖFB training center project in Vienna-Aspern, which costs 70 million euros, is on the agenda. The ÖFB will have to cover one third, the federal government and the city of Vienna the remaining two thirds. The ÖFB wants to cover this partly from reserves and partly with borrowed capital.