Mexico City, Mexico, June 2, 2016 - For both Mexico and Algeria qualifying for Rio 2016 would mean a second participation in the Olympic Games. The two teams meet on the first competition day of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Mexico City with old memories from the Games. While the African side played at Barcelona 1992, the NORCECA side's first Olympic adventure dates back to 1968 at the home.
Head-to-head
• Mexico and Algeria met once at a world level tournament. Algeria won in a five-setter at the 1991 World Cup.
• Mexico have won two of their last three meetings with African sides. They beat Tunisia 3-0 at the 2014 World League and Egypt 3-2 at the 2014 World Championship. Their defeat came against Tunisia at the 2014 World League (3-2).
• Algeria's last meeting with a NORCECA side was at the 2004 World Olympic Qualification tournament. They lost 3-0 against Canada.
Mexico
• Mexico are hoping to qualify for their second Olympic Games. Their first participation came 48 years ago when they were hosts to the competition.
• In Mexico City in 1968, they finished in 10th place after losing all of their nine matches.
• Mexico finished in fourth place at the 2015 NORCECA Championship after losing to Puerto Rico in the bronze medal match (3-0).
Algeria
• Algeria can become the third African team to qualify for multiple Olympic Games, after Tunisia (6) and Egypt (5, including 2016).
• Their only other participation at the Olympic Games was in Barcelona in 1992. They finished in 12th and last place.
• Algeria participated in the World Olympic qualification tournaments of 2004 and 2008 (both in Tokyo), but failed to qualify for the Olympic Games as they won only two of their 14 matches in total in these years.
• Algeria are two-time African champions (1991, 1993). They finished in fourth place in last year's competition.