Union Players go International

The Nominees

Leopold Querfeld, now a five-time Austrian international, is hoping to earn further caps for the ÖFB against Cyprus and then three days later in Bosnia. After two matches played in Group H of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, head coach Ralf Rangnick's team are in second place with six points and could knock Bosnia-Herzegovina off the top spot if the results go their way.

Austria vs. Cyprus
Saturday | 06.09.2025 | Linz
Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Austria
Tuesday | 09.09.2025 | Zenica

The Hungarian national team, on the other hand, are yet to play in the World Cup qualifiers, but will start group F in Ireland before hosting the current UEFA Nations League champions, Portugal. Union midfielder András Schäfer will be looking to gain his 38th and 39th international appearances.

Ireland vs. Hungary
Saturday | 6 September 2025 | Dublin
Hungary vs. Portugal
Tuesday | 9 September 2025 | Budapest

Two soccer players are in training, one is dribbling the ball while the other tries to stop it. Background with other players.

Group L of the European World Cup qualifying competition is currently led by the Czech Republic, who have only participated in the World Cup once. Alex Král, Union's most capped player (47), has been nominated again and wants to help head coach Ivan Hašek's team pick up more points in Montenegro. A few days later, against Saudi Arabia, there are no points at stake, just pride, playing time and match practice.

Montenegro vs. Czech Republic
Friday | 05.09.2025 | Podgorica
Czech Republic vs. Saudi Arabia
Monday | 08.09.2025 | Hradec Králové

Union's wing-back Josip Juranović is also represented in Group L with Croatia. Currently in second place with two wins from two games, the 2018 World Cup runners-up will first face the Faroe Islands and then Montenegro, who are currently level on points.

Faroe Islands vs. Croatia
Friday | 05.09.2025 | Tórshavn
Croatia vs. Montenegro
Monday | 08.09.2025 | Zagreb

Having played one international match for Germany’s U19s, Union's new signing Derrick Köhn can look forward to what could be his first senior international matches for Ghana. Otto Addo, head coach of the ‘Black Stars’, has called up the 26-year-old for the matches against Chad and Mali. In Group I of the African World Cup qualifiers, the four-time finalists will also face Comoros, Madagascar and the Central African Republic.

Chad vs. Ghana
Thursday | 4 September 2025 | N'Djamena
Ghana vs. Mali
Monday | 08.09.2025 | Accra

Union's defender Tom Rothe, midfield dynamo Aljoscha Kemlein and striker Ilyas Ansah are starting the ‘post-European Championship phase’ with the German U21s. In addition to enjoying some playing time in the friendly against Albania, they will also want to pick up points in the qualifiers for the next U21 EUROs when they face Latvia in Rostock. While Tom Rothe and Aljoscha Kemlein have already played two matches each for head coach Antonio di Salvo's team, this will be Ansah's first appearance.