This is Serbia's third consecutive World Cup appearance, and they will be hoping to improve on their seventh-place finish in 2011. In that year they won five and lost six matches, including a 3-0 victory over Japan, who would go on to finish fourth. Serbia finished fifth at the 2007 edition. At the 2015 World Grand Prix, they were eighth in their Group 1 pool after winning three of nine matches, two of which were against Turkey. At the inaugural Baku 2015 European Games, a mixed ability side won the bronze medal. Serbia finished equal-seventh at the 2014 World Championship.

Over the past decade, Serbia have developed into genuine medal contenders every time they compete. Their rise began at the 2006 World Championship where, competing as Serbia and Montenegro, they won the bronze medal. A year later Serbia claimed silver at the European Championship, while 2008 marked their first Olympic appearance when they finished equal-fifth in Beijing. They won the European League three times from 2009-11, while a gold medal at the 2011 European Championship and bronze at the same year’s World Grand Prix further boosted their reputation. They failed to win a match at the London 2012 Olympic Games, but won bronze at the 2013 World Grand Prix.