*By Michael Teich*
Russia is still three victories away from hoisting up the FIFA World Cup 2018 trophy, but President Vladimir Putin may already be the tournament's champion.
"This is nothing but a diplomatic and political win for Putin," said Jeffrey Marcus, publisher of [The Banter](http://jointhebanter.com/).
Russia’s victory over soccer powerhouse Spain in Sunday's Round of 16 shocked the sports community and prompted speculation that corruption could be a factor in the historic upset.
The country already engineered to get the World Cup by throwing money around to FIFA officials, said Marcus, and now it could be motivated to influence the outcome of matches. Marcus himself said he joked in his [daily newsletter](https://mailchi.mp/7947f595e587/world-cup-banter-kicks-from-the-penalty-mark) that "this was the biggest Russian upset since the 2016 election."
But Putin shouldn't feel the need to rig the games, Marcus said, because the Russian leader's World Cup campaign is successful just by "having a positive tournament that has gone on without a hitch."
“He looks like the leader of a legitimate government and an open society where people are having fun and rallying around soccer,” said Marcus.
“All of the other stuff when it comes to Russian politics and what Putin’s been doing has been brushed to the side.”
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-putin-is-the-world-cups-biggest-winner).
One of the biggest global consumers goods companies, Unilever, is threatening to stop advertising on digital platforms like Facebook and Google if the companies don't clean up their acts. Snap's Vice President of sales has left the company. A new report finds Facebook is losing a younger audience. Dow closed up 400 points after the most volatile week in two years.
The 2018 Winter Olympics have officially begun. Here are the Olympians to keep an eye on.
The 2018 Winter Olympics are officially underway after the opening ceremony Friday. The big story so far for the American team: the controversy over the flag bearer.
Tanya Ghahremani, associate lifestyle editor for Bustle, takes a look at just how much money skaters and their families shell out in pursuit of an almost impossible dream. The Winter Olympics are now underway in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Cheddar is dedicating the day to celebrating women, and we're calling it "Chedher"! We have special co-hosts and interviews from women in sports, tech, business, politics and more.
Hope King welcomes special co-hosts Alicia Quarles and Tanzina Vega.
Soccer phenom Hope Solo is an outspoken advocate for the gender pay gap in sports. Along with her U.S. Soccer teammates she is advocating for equal pay in the league. Cheddar's Hope King spoke with the athlete about challenges facing women in sports, and how she is inspiring the next generation.
U.S. Women's Soccer has been plagued by inequities in how athletes are paid compared to their male counterparts. Hope Solo discusses why the disparity exists and what she's doing to change it.
Between Bells: Cheddar turns into #chedHER, with 100% women anchors and guests. We highlight women in business, tech, entertainment, politics, and sports. With Cosmopolitan, EMILY's List, Lea DeLaria, MoveOn.org, THINX, and more!
Team USA is sending 109 women to represent the United States at the Winter Olympics. SELF's Amy Eisinger joins Cheddar to discuss some of the most inspiring athletes to watch during the games.
Radios may be a relic of the past, but audio technology is anything but outdated. In this week's Volvo Tech Drive the Founder and CEO of Aaptiv explains how his company is using audio to change the way the world works out.
