Bari, Italy, August 29, 2018 - Russia will play in their 19th straight edition of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
Head-to-Head
- Australia have lost all their previous 11 matches against Russia (incl. predecessors) at world level major competitions.
- World level major competitions are: World Championships, Olympic Games, World Cup, World League, Grand Champions Cup and the Nations League.
- These teams have met twice before at the World Championship. Russia beat Australia 3-0 in 1998 and 3-1 in 2010.
- Once Australia managed to force Russia to play a five-setter, when they lost 3-2 in the Intercontinental Rounds at the 1999 World League.
Australia
- Australia will make their seventh appearance at the World Championship.
- In their most recent participation in 2014, Australia recorded their best result in the tournament, finishing in 15th place.
- At the 2014 World Championship, Australia managed to win their opening match of the tournament for the first time as they beat Cameroon 3-0.
- Australia have lost their last four World Championship matches, since their 3-2 victory over Venezuela in the first round four years ago.
Russia
- Russia (incl. predecessors) have won the World Championship title six times, but all six as Soviet Union.
- Russia won the gold medal in 1949 (inaugural tournament), 1952, 1960, 1962, 1978 and 1982.
- Russia's six titles are still a record. Brazil and Italy follow on three titles each.
- Only once have Russia won a World Championship medal since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when they claimed silver in 2002 in Argentina.
- Russia are the only team to have participated at all previous 18 editions of the World Championship.