Vorarlberg derby returns after 854-day Bundesliga wait
Saturday 19th September 2026 on 08:00 in
Austria
Austria Lustenau will host SCR Altach on Saturday for the first Vorarlberg derby in Austria’s Bundesliga in 854 days, ORF reports. The match will be the ninth Bundesliga meeting between the clubs, with both sides having won three of the previous eight and two ending in draws.
Kick-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Lustenau’s Reichshofstadion. The teams last met on May 18, 2024, when they drew 2-2 at Altach’s Schnabelholz stadium.
Altach have had the better of the recent meetings, with Lustenau winless in the clubs’ last five encounters.
Both coaches reject favourite label
“There is no favourite for me in a derby. Anything can happen,” Lustenau coach Markus Mader said.
Altach coach Ognjen Zaric also dismissed the idea that being considered favourites would benefit either team. Both coaches said they were hoping for a football festival at the sold-out match.
Previous Bundesliga derbies
August 20, 2022: Altach 1-2 Lustenau
November 12, 2022: Lustenau 3-0 Altach
April 8, 2023: Lustenau 1-0 Altach
May 27, 2023: Altach 1-1 Lustenau
August 26, 2023: Lustenau 0-3 Altach
December 5, 2023: Altach 3-0 Lustenau
April 13, 2024: Lustenau 0-1 Altach in Bregenz
May 18, 2024: Altach 2-2 Lustenau
The Bundesliga meetings followed earlier clashes in the second and third tiers. Altach first reached the Bundesliga in 2006 after beating Lustenau 1-0 in front of 7,500 fans. Lustenau followed in 2022. The clubs played eight Bundesliga derbies in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons before Lustenau were relegated. After winning the second-tier title in May 2026, Lustenau returned to the Bundesliga and the derby resumed.
Pyrotechnics have caused repeated interruptions
There have been no major riots at the derby, but pyrotechnics have repeatedly caused problems. In November 2022, the referee stopped the match in Lustenau for five minutes after Altach fans filled the stadium with smoke.
In April 2023, police stopped a bus carrying 70 high-risk fans from Grasshoppers Zurich, a club with links to Altach supporters. Officers seized 33 Bengal fires, 13 firecrackers and balaclavas.
During the December 2023 derby in Altach, flares and rockets were thrown from the Lustenau section onto the pitch. The match was halted for 12 minutes, firefighters had to intervene and an abandonment was threatened. The Bundesliga imposed a fine of about 30,000 euros, after which the club agreed with its supporter groups to give up dangerous pyrotechnics.
First derby in Lustenau’s new arena
The last derby played on Lustenau soil was in August 2023 at the old Reichshofstadion. Lustenau’s most recent home fixture against Altach took place in Bregenz in April 2024, while the club’s own stadium was being rebuilt.
Saturday’s match will be the first derby at the new arena, which opened in 2025 and has 5,138 seats. The stadium is sold out, with 530 Altach fans expected to attend. The two sets of supporters will enter separately.
Both teams looking to improve league position
The match can be described as a battle near the bottom of the table. Altach are last with three points after four consecutive defeats. A win would guarantee that they move off the bottom, potentially sending the position to Lustenau, who are ninth in the 12-team league with two more points.
Both teams lost 2-1 in their most recent matches.
“The fact is that we have too few points, so we want to get on the scoresheet as quickly as possible and turn things in a positive direction,” Zaric said. He cautioned that Saturday’s result would not decide the season.
Mader also said it was too early to draw conclusions from the table. “The table changes every week. We will not make the mistake of judging Altach by their position in the table,” he said.
Mader expects an “injured and therefore very dangerous” Altach side in front of a sell-out crowd. Lustenau winger Dominik Weixelbraun described the opponents as highly motivated, while Zaric highlighted Lustenau’s organisation and home advantage.
Altach midfielder Lukas Jäger said the derby had come at a good time for his team, which could improve both its league position and confidence. His teammate Patrick Greil is set to make his 100th league appearance. Defender Benedikt Zech is also returning, with Zaric calling him an important player.