Varna, Bulgaria, August 29, 2018 - Reigning world champions Poland will start their title defence against two-time silver medallists Cuba.
Head-to-Head
- Cuba and Poland have played each other five times at the World Championship, with three victories for the Cubans and two for the Poles.
- The most recent match between Cuba and Poland at the World Championship was in Sapporo in 1998. The Cubans won in straight sets. Cuba's other victories at the tournament against Poland were in 1978 (Rome) and 1986 (Tourcoing).
- Poland's two victories in World Championship matches versus Cuba were in 1956 (Paris) and 1982 (Buenos Aires).
- Cuba and Poland played each other in Bulgaria in the final round of the 2012 World League. The Poles won in straight sets in Sofia on their way to winning the tournament.
- Poland defeated Cuba in straight sets in the preliminary round of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Cuba
- This is Cuba's 15th appearance at a World Championship. United States (16, including 2018) are the only NORCECA team to participate in the tournament more times.
- Cuba's best performance at a World Championship was being runners-up in both 1990 and 2010. They were beaten in the final by Italy and Brazil respectively.
- Cuba and Romania (both 2) are the only nations to have been runners-up at the World Championship on multiple occasions without ever winning the tournament.
- Cuba were 11th at the 2014 World Championship, the third time in four editions of the tournament they finished outside the top 10 (exception in that run was second in 2010). At the four World Championships prior to this run, they never finished outside the top five (1986-1998).
- Cuba finished 13th when Bulgaria hosted the World Championship in 1970 (at the time their best performance). They won six of their 11 matches at that tournament.
- Cuba are one short of 50 defeats at the World Championship (W74-L49).
- Cuba lost all five of their matches at the 2016 Olympic Games, winning only one set in those five defeats. That was their most recent appearance at a world level major tournament (the world level major tournaments are Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League, Grand Champions Cup and Nations League).
Poland
- Poland are one of four nations making their 17th appearance at a World Championship in the 2018 edition, with Brazil, Czech Republic (including as Czechoslovakia) and Italy. Only Russia (all 19, including as Soviet Union) and Bulgaria (18) have participated in the tournament more times (totals include 2018).
- Poland are the reigning world champions having won the tournament as hosts in 2014. The two previous winners of the World Championship went on to win three in a row - Italy (1990-1998) and Brazil (2002-2010).
- Poland have won the World Championship on two occasions - 1974 in Mexico and 2014 as hosts. Only Russia (6, including as Soviet Union), Brazil (3) and Italy (3) have won the tournament more times.
- The last reigning world champions not to finish in the top four at a World Championship were Italy (fifth in 2002).
- Poland's World Championship record when the tournament was hosted by either Bulgaria or Italy is: fifth (1970 in Bulgaria), eighth (1978 in Italy) and 13th (2010 in Italy).
- Poland won 12 of their 13 matches at the 2014 World Championship, with the only exception a 3-1 defeat versus United States in Lódz.
- Poland won their opening match at each of the last four editions of the World Championship, since they began the 1998 tournament with a straight-set defeat against Cuba.
- Poland finished joint-fifth with Serbia in the 2018 Nations League. They were beaten by both Russia and United States in the final round.