Ahead of Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, this piece from The Hollywood Reporter looks at the tournament's real winners and losers away from the pitch, from record-breaking sponsorship deals to controversies over refereeing and political interference.

– **Winner: Sponsors** – FIFA booked around $2.8 billion in sponsorship revenue, up from $1.8 billion at Qatar 2022, boosted by the expansion from 32 to 48 teams and new backers including Bank of America, Verizon and Saudi Arabia's Aramco; Infantino is already eyeing a 64-team tournament for 2030.
– **Loser: The Rules of the Game** – Widespread confusion over VAR and refereeing decisions, including a bizarre "mistaken identity" red card for Switzerland's Breel Embolo, was overshadowed by Donald Trump admitting he phoned FIFA to get Folarin Balogun's red card overturned, which it duly was.
– **Winner: Vikings** – Norway's "Viking Row" fan chant and imagery gave Norse raiding culture an unexpected pop-culture revival at the tournament.