A total of 24 countries are due to compete from tomorrow until September 11, with Poland and Slovenia having been appointed co-hosts earlier this year after Russia was stripped of the hosting rights due to the invasion of Ukraine.

The opening match is scheduled to be played in the Slovenian capital tomorrow as three-time champions Brazil take on two-time runners-up Cuba in Pool B.

The two sides met in the gold-medal match of the 2010 edition of the tournament which Brazil won.

Four players who were on the court 12 years ago are still part of the squads this year - Brazil's Bruno Rezende, Lucas Saatkamp and Yoandy Leal and Cuba's Robertlandy Simón.

"We've prepared really well for the World Championship," said Leal, who represented Cuba until 2010 before switching to Brazil, as reported by Na Nossa Rede.

"The last time I played in the tournament was back in 2010 and it's kind of ironic that my first match with Brazil will be against Cuba.

"We're really looking forward to having a strong performance in our opening match and hopefully winning the title again."

Poland, who won the past two editions of the World Championship including when hosting it alone in 2014, are among the favourites to win another gold.

However, they are without outside hitter Wilfredo León who has not fully recovered from knee surgery in June.

They face Bulgaria in their opening fixture tomorrow in Katowice.

Pool play will last six days, with each team playing once against each of their three round-robin opponents.

After that schedule is completed, all six pool winners, runners-up and the best four third-placed teams will move forward to the first elimination round.