Kobe, Japan, September 29, 2018 – Former world champions Russia will be meeting Trinidad & Tobago, which will be making their debut in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship.
Head-to-head
• Russia and Trinidad & Tobago have never met in a major encounter at world level.
• World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix, Grand Champions Cup and Nations League.
• Russia have won each their last 14 major encounters with NORCECA opposition not being United States, following a 3-1 defeat against Puerto Rico in the 2009 World Grand Prix.
Russia
• Russia (incl. Soviet Union) will be making their 17th participation at the world championships, extending the appearance record among countries.
• The only World Championship without representation from Russia was the 1967 edition, in which Soviet Union did not take part.
• Russia have won a record seven world championship gold medals, five as Soviet Union and two as Russia (2006 and 2010).
• Four years ago, Russia finished in fifth place. It was the first time since 1986 that Russia, including its predecessors, finished outside the top three.
• Russia (including Soviet Union) have won 13 medals at world championships, six more than the next most prolific country (Japan in 7).
Trinidad & Tobago
• Trinidad & Tobago will be making their debut at the World championship. They are the only newcomers in the field of 24 for the 2018 World Championship.
• Not considering the first edition in 1952, the best performance by debutants at a World Championship is still Japan's second place finish in 1962.
• Trinidad & Tobago are one of six NORCECA teams to take part in this tournament. In qualifying, they joined Mexico in emerging from a group that also contained Costa Rica and Dominica.
• Trinidad & Tobago's only previous appearance in a major competition came at the 2017 World Grand Prix, which was contested by 32 teams.
• Trinidad & Tobago won only one of their six matches in the 2017 World Grand Prix. They defeated Australia 3-1 in front of a home crowd in Port of Spain.