Pool D: Azerbaijan – BelgiumHead-to-head- This will be the first meeting between Azerbaijan and Belgium at a major tournament.
- Azerbaijan are winless in their world championship matches against European opposition (5 matches).
- Belgium have lost their last seven world championship matches against CEV nations. Their last victory in this respect was against Austria in 1956 (3-0).
Azerbaijan- Azerbaijan won their first round match against Puerto Rico in five sets.
- They are unbeaten in all their three five-setters at the World Championship beating United States (2006), Japan and Puerto Rico (both 2014).
- They can equal their team record of winning back-to-back world championship matches following their last match in 2006 and first in 2014.
- After three matchdays, Polina Rahimova leads the tournament in scoring, having produced 74 points. That is nine more than the next most prolific scorer, Puerto Rico's Karina Ocasio.
Belgium- Belgium have now lost two in a row after winning their opener against Cuba by 3-0.
- A defeat by Belgium and a Puerto Rico win over Japan could eliminate Belgium from second round contention and a top 16 finish. Belgium's best final ranking in the competition is 13th place from 1956.
- Belgium have lost five of their last six in the competition and also 11 of their last 13.
- The top 8 of best servers in this tournament (after three matchdays), contains three Belgian players, Charlotte Leys (2nd, 0.83), Frauke Dirickx (7th, 0.50) and Lise Van Hecke (8th, 0.50).