Varna, Bulgaria, September 18, 2018 - Defending champions Poland are the only undefeated team of Pool D, but this could change if co-hosts Bulgaria can repeat what they have done nine other times in ten previous World Championship head-to-head encounters with the Poles. The only time Poland beat Bulgaria in a World Championship was in four sets in the semifinals of the 2006 edition in Tokyo.
Head-to-Head
• Poland have lost nine of their 10 World Championship matches against Bulgaria, with the only exception a 3-1 victory in Tokyo in the 2006 semifinal.
• The most recent World Championship match between Bulgaria and Poland was a straight-set victory for the Bulgarians in Ancona in 2010 (second round). The defeat resulted in Poland's elimination from the tournament.
• Bulgaria defeated Poland 3-1 in Sofia in the final round when they hosted the World Championship in 1970.
• Poland beat Bulgaria 3-1 in Osaka in the Nations League on 10 June 2018.
• Bulgaria recorded a 3-2 win against Poland in Varna during the 2017 World League. They claimed the deciding set 16-14.
Bulgaria
• Co-hosts Bulgaria have won three matches and lost one at the 2018 World Championship so far.
• In 2014, Bulgaria also started their World Championship campaign with a win, a defeat and two wins, before they lost their fifth match in five sets against Russia.
• Bulgaria could win three successive World Championship matches in straight sets for the first time since four 3-0 wins in a row at the 1974 World Championship.
• Nikolay Uchikov is Bulgaria's tournament top scorer thus far on 51 points.
Poland
• Defending world champions Poland are still unbeaten in their 2018 campaign: four victories.
• In 2014, Poland won their first five matches in 2014 en route to the title.
• Poland have lost only one of their last 17 World Championship matches, a 3-1 against United States in the second round in 2014.
• Poland have now won 11 straight World Championship matches for the first time since 2002-2006 (also 11). They had one longer winning streak in the tournament, 19 matches in 1970-1978.
• Artur Szalpuk is Poland's most prolific scorer in this tournament with 48 total points.
• Pawel Zatorski has registered 28 digs (2 per set average).