The Austrian national football team officially departed for the FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico on Thursday morning, June 4, 2026. Under the program title "Mission World Cup Starts Here," the delegation was given a formal send-off at Vienna-Schwechat Airport.
At precisely 10:00 a.m., the Boeing 777-200ER, flight number OS51, took off nonstop for Los Angeles. Vienna Airport and the national airline, Austrian Airlines, which acts as an official partner of the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB), organized a ceremonial send-off on the airport apron for the departure.
The ceremony in the courtyard and on the tarmac was attended by high-ranking Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) officials as well as leading representatives of Austrian federal politics, including Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler, and State Secretary Michaela Schmidt. Around 200 invited fans and children in national team jerseys formed a guard of honor before boarding the wide-body aircraft to bid farewell to the players and coaching staff led by head coach Ralf Rangnick. The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature an expanded field of 48 nations, with Los Angeles being one of the key venues for the group stage.
The crew of the long-haul flight had a unique feature. In the cockpit of the Boeing 777, registration OE-LPA, sat former professional footballer Andreas Bammer as First Officer. During his earlier sporting career, the co-pilot played for the Austrian U19 national team and made around 200 appearances in the first and second Bundesliga for clubs such as SV Ried, SCR Altach, and Wacker Innsbruck. Bammer had already begun his pilot training while still playing and now, on the transatlantic journey at an altitude of over 10.000 meters, met up with former colleagues from professional sports.
To ensure the smooth operation of the intercontinental flight, the airport authority, in coordination with air traffic control, adjusted the logistical processes on the apron to allow media representatives and spectators to remain safely near the aircraft. After landing on the US West Coast, the Austrian team will move into their accommodations to adjust to the time difference and the local climate before the first group stage matches of the tournament kick off.