Varna, Bulgaria, August 29, 2018 - Iran and Puerto Rico will meet for the second consecutive editions of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship in Bulgaria after meeting in Poland in 2014.
Head-to-Head
- The only previous match between Iran and Puerto Rico at the World Championship was in Kraków at the 2014 tournament (first round). The Iranians won in straight sets.
- Iran beat Puerto Rico 3-1 in Tokyo on 6 June 2012 in a qualification tournament for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Neither team qualified for the Games.
- Iran won both of their matches versus NORCECA opposition at the 2014 World Championship, after they lost each of their first three fixtures at the tournament against NORCECA teams (1970, 1998, 2006).
- Puerto Rico have won only one of their five World Championships matches against AVC opposition, 3-1 versus China in Saitama in 2006.
Iran
- This is Iran's sixth appearance at a World Championship. In their first four participations they finished 21st (1970), 19th (1998), 21st (2006) and 19th (2010), before a sixth-place finish in 2014.
- Iran have won 12 matches at the World Championship (W12-L22), with seven of those victories coming in the 2014 tournament. They were beaten 3-0 by Russia in the fifth-place play-off.
- Iran made their World Championship debut in 1970, when Bulgaria hosted the tournament. They lost all five matches in the group stage, before winning four of their six fixtures in the consolation stage (for places 17-24).
- Iran won their opening match in only one of their five appearances at the World Championship, a 3-1 victory against Italy in Kraków at the 2014 tournament.
- Iran finished 10th in the 2018 Nations League, the highest-placed AVC team.
Puerto Rico
- This is Puerto Rico's fifth appearance at a World Championship. They made their tournament debut in 1974, and have also participated in 2006, 2010 and 2014.
- Puerto Rico's best performance at a World Championship was 12th in 2006. They finished 13th when the tournament was hosted by Italy four years later.
- Puerto Rico finished 23rd out of 24 teams in their World Championship debut in 1974 (ahead of only Panama). They were 21st in 2014.
- Puerto Rico have won seven of their 32 matches at the World Championship, with two of those victories coming in their opening match of the tournament - versus Argentina in 2006 and Australia in 2010.
- Puerto Rico compete in their first world level major tournament since the 2016 World League, where they lost five of their six matches (the world level major tournaments are Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League, Grand Champions Cup and Nations League).