No World Cup ban yet for Russia, but team can't use flag, anthem

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The squad can play using the Russian Football Union's acronym, the RFU, instead of expelling Russia from the World Cup.

The Russian flag and anthem can not be associated with the team according to the unanimous ruling by the FIFA Bureau.

Should the situation not improve, a potential exclusion from the competition will be applied in the near future.

The decision adopts the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling before Russia&s invasion of Ukraine, punishing Russia for its cover-up of the investigation into state-sponsored drug use. The Russians had to compete in the past two Olympics as the ROC team. The ban on Russia competing in the World Cup was put on hold until it qualified.

The RFU team can only play on neutral territory.

Poland said Saturday that it would refuse to play Russia in a World Cup playoff semifinal on March 24 if the RFU acronym is used.

The winner of the playoffs will host the winner of the Czech Republic or Sweden on March 29. There is a World Cup in Qatar.

Poland and Sweden joined the Czech Republic in saying they wouldn't play Russia.

The Czech FA executive committee, staff members and players of the national team agreed that it is not possible to play against the Russian national team in the current situation.

The English Football Association decided not to play Russia for the sake of the future.

The English FA said the decision was taken out of solidarity with Ukraine and to condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership.

The president of the RFU is the chief executive of a subsidiary of a state-owned energy giant.

The Le Parisien newspaper reported on Sunday that Noel Le Graet, the president of the France football federation, was leaning towards removing Russia from the World Cup.

The world of sport and football cannot remain neutral, said Le Graet, who sits on the ruling FIFA Council and has recently been a close ally of the governing body's president.

The Polish, Swedish and Czech federations would have to pay fines and compensation if they didn't play Russia in the World Cup.

The United Nations imposed sanctions on Yugoslavia after war broke out in the Balkans.

Infantino is the chairman of the FIFA Bureau.

Russian and Ukrainian teams must play their home games in neutral countries in order to be in the competition. Spartak Moscow was allowed to play in the round of 16.