A (very) beginner’s guide to the World Cup: how does it work and the players to look out for

The tournament kicks off on Thursday in Mexico City. Here's what newcomers can expect from one of the world's largest and most watched events

It is! Every four years the best men's teams on the planet gather to see who will be crowned world champions. This year's tournament will be co-hosted by frenemies Canada, Mexico and the United States in 16 cities as different as Vancouver, Kansas City and Guadalajara. The 48 teams are initially divided into [does arithmetic] 12 four-team groups with each team playing the others in the group once. The top two from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams - 32 in total - will advance to the knockout stages. Matches from that point on are single-elimination - lose and you're out. If scores are level at the end of extra-time, the match is decided by a penalty shootout.