Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 7, 2016 - Hosts Brazil will open their bid at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a match against fellow Latin Americans from Mexico. The two sides will lock horns on Sunday in the second Pool A game of the men’s volleyball tournament in Rio de Janeiro.
As hosts of the Olympics, Brazil were the very first team to secure a spot at Rio 2016, while Mexico booked the very last ticket to the Games, by winning the FIVB Volleyball World Olympic Qualification Tournament at home.
The South American powerhouse is the only team that has been present at all 13 editions of the men’s Olympic volleyball tournament so far. The Brazilians won gold at Barcelona 1992 and Athens 2004, and silver at Los Angeles 1984, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
For Mexico this will be the second appearance at an Olympic volleyball tournament. The only time they played at the Olympics was when they hosted the Games in their capital back in 1968 and finished 10th.