Head-to-head
· Poland have clinched wins in both previous World Cup matches against Italy in the deciding fifth set. They won 15-6 in the fifth set in 1981 and they defeated them 15-12 in 2011, after trailing 2-0.
· Poland have won the most recent four matches against Italy, in the 2014 World League, at the 2014 world championships and in the final round of the 2015 World League (3-1). The first three of these wins came on Polish soil. The last win was in Rio de Janeiro.
· Michal Kubiak (POL) and Bartosz Kurek (POL) were top scorers in that last match on 19 and 18 points respectively. Filippo Lanza (ITA) scored 14 points for Italy.
· Italy's most recent wins came in last year's two home matches against Poland in the intercontinental round of the 2014 World League.
Italy
· Italy will win the World Cup if they beat Poland by 3-0 or 3-1 AND United States lose against Argentina.
· Italy qualify for the Olympic Games if a) they beat Poland by 3-0 or 3-1, b) they beat Poland by 3-2 AND United States lose against Argentina.
· Italy can win the World Cup for the second time and for the first time since 1995. They can become the third country to win the competition at least twice following Russia (6 times, including Soviet Union) and Brazil (2).
· Italy have not finished a WC campaign with only one defeat since their unbeaten campaign of 1995.
Poland
· Poland will win the World Cup with a) a victory or b) a defeat by 3-2 AND United States do not win by 3-0 or 3-1 against Argentina.
· Poland will qualify for the Olympic Games with a) a victory, b) a defeat by 3-2, c) a defeat by 3-0 of 3-1 AND United States do not beat Argentina.
· They could become the seventh country to win the competition, after Russia, Brazil, Cuba, Italy, United States and (East) Germany.
· Poland can remain unbeaten in a single World Cup campaign, becoming the sixth country to achieve this feat following Soviet Union in 1981, United States in 1985, Cuba in 1989, Italy in 1995 and Brazil in 2003.