Head-to-Head
• United States and Iran have met once before in the World League. United States beat Iran in straight sets in the 2014 semifinal.
• Both teams also met in the first round of the 2014 World Championships when Iran proved too strong for United States in five sets.
• Matthew Anderson (USA) and Mir Saeid Marouflakrani (IRI) are teammates at Zenit Kazan.
United States
• Defending champions United States will participate in their 18th World League. They have won two gold, one silver and two bronze medals in their previous participations.
• The last team to win back-to-back World League titles was Brazil in 2009 and 2010.
• Since their return to the competition in 2006 they have only twice won their opening match: in 2008 and 2014, their golden campaigns.
• Murphy Troy will celebrate his 26th birthday on the day of the second match from this meet (31 May).
Iran
• Iran will compete in their third World League campaign. In 2013 they finished in ninth place and in 2014 they just missed a medal by finishing fourth.
• Iran have won only one of their last six World League matches, a 3-1 win over Brazil.
• They are two sets shy from winning their 50th in the World League.
• Iran started both of their previous World League campaigns with three successive defeats.