The 72nd FIFA Congress will take place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Qatar’s capital city tomorrow, with the draw for the men’s FIFA World Cup due to take place the following day.

The draw will not feature Russia after the nation was suspended until further notice by FIFA last month in response to nation’s invasion of Ukraine.

FIFA had initially faced criticism when the organisation introduced "immediate first measures", which would have allowed the team to continue under the Football Union of Russia (RFU) banner, without the national flag and anthem, as well as playing at a neutral venue.

Teams opposing Russia in the World Cup qualifying playoff matches had insisted they would refuse to face the team.

FIFA’s eventual suspension of Russia led to Poland being awarded a bye to the final stage of playoff phase, with the nation sealing a World Cup spot yesterday.

The FIFA Congress are set to ratify Russia’s suspension tomorrow, a sanction the Russian Football Union (RFU) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The RFU plan to take part in the Congress as normal.

The delegation is due to be led by RFU secretary general Alexander Alaev and include Alexei Sorokin, a member of the FIFA Council until last year.

"It is assumed that I will participate in the FIFA Congress, it is quite possible that in the delegation of the RFU,” Sorokin told Russia's official state news agency TASS. 

""The agenda includes the issue of suspension or expulsion of a member of the Association, but I don't see the prerequisites for this either."

 "The RFU did not violate anything, there are very specific prerequisites for suspension or deprivation of membership, we do not fall under these factors - this is a refusal to participate in qualifying matches and others. 

"That is, there are specific reasons why the federation can be excommunicated from FIFA, we we don’t see signs if we approach it legally. 

"Now is a difficult time, everything is possible with us now, we see all sorts of violations of norms and principles in the world. 

"But we have no other choice but to stand on completely legal positions, according to legal norms, there are no signs for an attempt to excommunicate the RFU from FIFA."

Temporary measures related to the status and transfer of players due to war will also be ratified.

The status of Kenya and Zimbabwe’s Football Associations is also set to be discussed, with both federations having been suspended last month over Government interference.

Controversial proposals to hold the FIFA World Cup biennially have not been included on the agenda for the Congress.

A feasibility study had been approved at last year’s Congress, forming part of the discussions over the international match calendar.

The biennial FIFA World Cup proposal has faced significant opposition, with Europe and South America threatening to boycott should the idea be approved.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been a vocal opponent with members of the organisation slamming the proposal at the IOC Session last month, an event FIFA President Gianni Infantino was absent from.

FIFA 700-page report to 207 of the governing body’s 210 eligible members regarding the future match calendar at a summit in December.

According to the Reuters news agency, alternative plans are now expected to be discussed.

Infantino had hinted as such in December when he said the biennial World Cup proposal was not the sole topic at the global summit, with agreement for the overall match calendar the stated ambition.

The current match calendars for women’s and men’s football are set to expire in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

The FIFA Council today confirmed recommendations to help the development of young players, promote competitive balance and prevent the hoarding of players by clubs had been approved.

The regulations are due to come into force on July 1.

The rules will restrict clubs to loaning out eight professional players next season, reducing to seven and six the following two campaigns.

Players aged 21 and younger and club-trained players will be exempt from the limitations.

The FIFA Council also extended the mandate of the existing Normalisation Committee for the Ivorian Football Association until April 30 and appointed a Normalisation Committee for the Namibia Football Association until 30 April next year.

A deadline for candidates for the FIFA Presidency has been set four months prior to next year’s Congress.

FIFA said it had received a progress report on preparations for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the tournament scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 18.

The build-up to the tournament has been dominated by criticism of labour conditions in Qatar.