It was the moment that changed the course of the match: Folarin Balogun, the former Arsenal striker, scored for the United States against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup, only to be sent off minutes later after a VAR review. The US held on to win 2-0, advancing to the last 16. But for many fans, the drama of that night in San Francisco raises a bigger question: how exactly does the World Cup work, and why should UK audiences care?
The World Cup is football’s biggest international tournament, organised by FIFA. The 2026 edition, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams, expanded from 32. The teams are split into 16 groups of three, with the top two from each group advancing to a 32-team knockout phase. The tournament then proceeds through a round of 32 (the stage where the US faced Bosnia), a round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. Each knockout match is a single elimination: lose and you go home.
“Explains how the World Cup works, including the new 48-team format, for UK readers.”
This expansion is controversial. Many critics argue that 48 teams dilutes the quality of the tournament, while FIFA claims it gives more nations a chance to compete on the global stage. The 2026 World Cup is the first test of this new format. The US win over Bosnia was a round-of-32 match, a stage that did not exist in previous 32-team tournaments. Under the old system, group winners and runners-up would go straight to the round of 16. Now, an extra knockout round has been added, meaning teams have to win one more match to reach the traditional last 16.
For UK readers, the World Cup matters because England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all compete, and the tournament draws massive audiences in Britain. The format changes could affect how far home nations progress: a weaker group might mean an easier path, but the extra round also increases the risk of an early exit. Moreover, the 2026 tournament takes place across three time zones, meaning some matches air in the early hours for UK viewers—a familiar inconvenience for fans of overseas World Cups.
Q: What is the World Cup format in 2026? The 2026 World Cup has 48 teams divided into 16 groups of three. Each team plays two group matches, with the top two from each group advancing to a round of 32, followed by a round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
Q: Why are there more teams than before? FIFA expanded the tournament from 32 to 48 teams to give more countries a chance to participate. The change was approved in 2017 and takes effect for the 2026 edition. Critics say it reduces the quality of matches, while supporters highlight increased global representation.
Q: How does the red card suspension work in the World Cup? Players who receive a red card in a World Cup match are automatically suspended for the next game. Folarin Balogun, for example, was sent off against Bosnia and will miss the US round-of-16 tie against Belgium. Suspensions are served in the next match of the same tournament.
What happens next? The US will face Belgium in Seattle on Monday in the round of 16. For the rest of the tournament, the knockout bracket will gradually shrink until the final on 19 July 2026. The 48-team format means more matches, more drama, and more opportunities for underdog stories—but also more potential for VAR controversies like Balogun's red card.