Fabian Lantschner from Natz is looking forward to a very special duel with Wacker Innsbruck. © Daniel Schönherr / Wacker Innsbruck

Two South Tyroleans and total football madness in Innsbruck

While football clubs here are in the midst of their preparations, a state of emergency already prevails north of the Brenner Pass. On Sunday, a clash will take place in Innsbruck that will electrify Austrian football – and two South Tyroleans are right in the middle of it.

July 26, 2025

From: det

There's been a big topic of conversation in Austrian football for days: the cup clash between third-division club Wacker Innsbruck and Bundesliga side Rapid Vienna. On Sunday, starting at 17 p.m., the two traditional clubs will meet for the first time in a long time at Innsbruck's iconic Tivoli Stadium – and will electrify thousands of fans.

"The whole city has been talking about nothing else for days," says Fabian Lantschner. The 37-year-old from Natz has been part of Wacker Innsbruck's coaching team alongside Sebastian Siller since summer 2023 and can hardly wait for Sunday's highlight. Just like Adrian Lechl, the 20-year-old striker from Lüsen, who is a rising star and key player for the Black and Greens.

Tivoli Stadium sold out for the first time in 15 years

"The hype is enormous," explains Lantschner, adding: "The Tivoli Stadium is sold out for the first time in 15 years. 16.000 fans will attend, including more than 1.000 from South Tyrol. 48 hours after the ticket sales went live, almost all tickets were sold out." Wacker could have sold 24.000 tickets for this historic clash, which aptly describes the madness in the North Tyrolean capital.

Top performer in Innsbruck: Adrian Lechl (right, here with fan Leni).

All of this also has to do with their history. Wacker Innsbruck and Rapid Vienna are among Austria's most iconic clubs. However, Wacker suffered a forced relegation to the fifth division three years ago. The Innsbruck club has undergone a complete overhaul – and has now truly rekindled the passion of its passionate supporters. Two years ago, Wacker comfortably won the fifth division, followed a few weeks ago by the fourth division championship and promotion to the Regionalliga West. The last competitive defeat came in November 2023.

The two South Tyroleans are causing a sensation

Adrian Lechl and Fabian Lantschner not only witnessed all of this, but also helped shape it. While Lechl has been a striker for the Black and Greens for two years, shining with goals and assists, Lantschner has worked his way up from U14 coach to the first team coaching staff over the past decade. Now the 37-year-old, who once served as a player and sporting director at Natz, is entering his third season with coach Sebastian Siller. The ever-popular clash against Rapid Vienna is a huge bonus, says Lantschner.

“We want to get into the second division!” Fabian Lantschner

"I know how the fans followed the cup draw via public viewing. The jubilation was tremendous when we were drawn against Rapid Vienna. For us, it's a confirmation and a reward for the development the club has undergone in recent years," explains Lantschner. President Hannes Rauch, sporting director Jakob Griesebner, and Harald Gärtner from the strategic network (which also includes Los Angeles FC, Bayern Munich, and Grasshoppers Zurich) have brought the club back on track.

Adrian Lechl is a key player at Wacker Innsbruck. © Daniel Schönherr

The Natzer sees Sunday's Rapid match as a challenge before the competition, because Wacker Innsbruck's motto is clear: "We want to get promoted to the second division!" The Regionalliga West starts in a week – and is, incidentally, a semi-professional championship. Lantschner works part-time for a construction management company, while Lechl studies. But football in Innsbruck is lived and breathed like a Bundesliga club. It's understandable that people north of the Brenner Pass dream of a magical cup evening, of a cup sensation against Rapid Vienna. "It will be a game that no one will forget in a hurry," Lantschner aptly sums it up.