Austrian Football Association
Professional services
UnclaimedThe governing body for association football in Austria.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
The Austrian Football Association, known in German as Österreichischer Fußball-Bund and commonly abbreviated as ÖFB, is the national governing body for association football in Austria. Based in Vienna, it administers and represents the sport at national level, coordinating domestic competitions, national teams, regional associations, player development and Austria's participation in international football. The association was established in 1904, during the formative period of organized football in Austria. It joined FIFA in 1905 and hosted the fifth FIFA Congress in Vienna in 1908, establishing an early international role for the country's football administration. Its responsibilities later developed around the organization of the Austrian Bundesliga, the Austrian Cup and the Austria men's national team, together with the corresponding women's national team and competitions. The ÖFB works with Austria's regional football associations, which cover Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna. A major part of the association's historical identity comes from the strength of Austrian football between the two World Wars. Hugo Meisl was one of its most influential early administrators and coaches. Under his leadership, Austria's celebrated Wunderteam produced a long unbeaten sequence from 1931 to 1932 and recorded notable victories over Germany. Austria also won the silver medal at the 1936 Olympic football tournament, which remains the country's only appearance in an international football final according to the referenced account. The national team returned to the highest level in the post-war era. The 1950s featured prominent players including Ernst Ocwirk, Ernst Happel, Gerhard Hanappi and Walter Zeman, while Austria's 1954 FIFA World Cup campaign is regarded as one of the strongest tournament performances in the association's history. The federation's listed World Cup participation periods also include 1930–1933, 1950–1954, 1958, 1978, 1982, 1990 and 1998, reflecting the changing format and qualification history of the competition. The ÖFB is not a commercial consumer brand in the conventional sense. Its principal role is institutional: setting and administering football structures, organizing competitions, licensing or supervising participating organizations, representing Austria internationally and supporting elite and grassroots participation. A 2004 account cited approximately 285,000 registered players of both sexes and 2,309 teams, making the federation the country's largest sporting organization at that time, although participation outside recognized structures was not included. The association's governance has changed repeatedly over more than a century. Its presidents have included early administrator Heinrich Strehblow, post-war leader Josef Gerö, long-serving president Josef “Beppo” Mauhart, Friedrich Stickler, Leo Windtner and Gerhard Milletich. The supplied historical record identifies Josef Pröll as president from 2025 onward, following interim leadership by Wolfgang Bartosch. The ÖFB remains responsible for Austrian football administration and for the national representation of Austrian teams within the FIFA and UEFA systems.
History
Organized football in Austria developed in Vienna in the late nineteenth century. The First Vienna Football Club, founded in 1894, provided an important institutional nucleus for the sport. The Austrian Football Association was established in 1904 to bring greater structure to football administration and representation. In 1905 it joined FIFA, and in 1908 Vienna hosted the fifth FIFA Congress, demonstrating that the new association had quickly acquired an international role. During the early decades, the association's remit extended beyond a single national competition. It supervised football structures in territories and regions connected to the former Austro-Hungarian and Central European football environment, while regional bodies gradually became the principal organizational units within Austria. The regional associations now associated with the ÖFB include those of Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna. Several other historical associations listed in the federation's history later disappeared, merged or transferred their responsibilities to successor organizations as political borders and football administration changed. The interwar period created the association's most famous early sporting legacy. Hugo Meisl served as a leading administrator and became general secretary and national-team coach in 1927. His Austria side, later known as the Wunderteam, went unbeaten across 14 matches between April 1931 and October 1932. The sequence included decisive victories over Germany, with Austria winning 6–0 in Berlin and 5–0 in Vienna. At the 1936 Summer Olympics, Austria reached the football final and won the silver medal after a 2–1 defeat by Italy. This remains the association's only appearance in an international final in the referenced account. Austria's football profile was rebuilt after the Second World War. The 1950s brought a prominent generation including Ernst Ocwirk, Ernst Happel, Gerhard Hanappi and Walter Zeman. Austria's 1954 FIFA World Cup campaign is identified as one of the most successful periods in the federation's history. The association's broader World Cup record includes participation in the periods 1930–1933 and 1950–1954, as well as the tournaments of 1958, 1978, 1982, 1990 and 1998. Institutionally, the ÖFB administers the domestic football framework and represents Austrian football internationally. Its responsibilities include the Austrian Bundesliga, the Austrian Cup, national men's and women's teams, and coordination with regional associations. A 2004 account reported 285,000 registered players of both sexes across 2,309 affiliated teams. That figure excluded informal and non-recognized participation but illustrated the scale of football's organizational base in Austria. The presidency has changed hands through a succession of long-serving and interim officeholders. Josef Mauhart led the organization from 1984 to 2002, followed by Friedrich Stickler, Kurt Ehrenberger on an interim basis, Leo Windtner, Gerhard Milletich, Klaus Mitterdorfer and Wolfgang Bartosch on an interim basis. The supplied reference identifies Josef Pröll as president beginning in 2025. The ÖFB continues to operate as Austria's central football authority, connecting local and regional football with FIFA and UEFA and managing the country's national representation.
- 2025
Josef Pröll identified as president
[1]The supplied historical record identifies Josef Pröll as the association's president from 2025.
- 2004
Reported scale of registered football
[1]A referenced account reported approximately 285,000 registered players and 2,309 teams affiliated with the federation.
- 1954
UEFA membership and World Cup high point
[1]The association joined UEFA, while Austria's national team produced one of its strongest FIFA World Cup campaigns.
- 1936
Olympic silver medal
[1]Austria reached the Olympic football final and won silver after losing 2–1 to Italy.
- 1932
Wunderteam sequence concludes
[1]The unbeaten run ended in October after 14 successive matches.
- 1931
Wunderteam unbeaten sequence begins
[1]Austria began a 14-match unbeaten run associated with the country's celebrated Wunderteam.
- 1908
FIFA Congress hosted in Vienna
[1]Vienna hosted the fifth FIFA Congress, giving the association an early international administrative role.
- 1905
FIFA membership
[1]Austria became a member of FIFA through its national football association.
- 1904
Association established
[1]The Austrian Football Association was formed to organize football administration in Austria.
Products and positioning
Austria's central governing and representative institution for association football, combining domestic competition administration with national-team representation, grassroots coordination and international federation membership.
National team
Austria men's national football team
The ÖFB administers and represents Austria's senior men's national team in international football. The team is the association's principal competitive representative and has appeared at multiple FIFA World Cups, including the historically important 1934, 1954, 1958, 1978, 1982, 1990 and 1998 tournaments.
National team
Austria women's national football team
The association organizes and supports Austria's women's national team and its international activities. It forms part of the ÖFB's broader responsibility for women's football alongside domestic competitions and regional development structures.
Domestic competition
Austrian Bundesliga
The Austrian Bundesliga is the country's top-level professional football competition referenced among the competitions organized by the association. The ÖFB provides the national governing framework within which Austria's principal league football operates.
Domestic competition
Austrian Cup
The Austrian Cup is the national knockout competition administered within the Austrian football system. It provides clubs from the country's organized football structure with a separate competitive route and national title opportunity.
Governance and development
Regional football association network
The ÖFB coordinates a network of regional associations covering Austria's principal federal regions, including Vienna, Lower Austria, Styria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Carinthia and Burgenland. These bodies support local competitions, clubs, registration and grassroots football.
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