How can I format my disk to APFS if I can’t boot in Recovery Mode?
If you see the spinning globe icon at boot, and are prompted for an Internet connection, then technically you're in Internet Recovery Mode, which doesn't rely upon any local partition to boot.

If you can get your device connected to your network, either by using an Ethernet adapter or temporarily using a different or open wireless network, you'll be able to format the internal drive to APFS.

You may also wish to investigate using Mac Deploy Stick to create a bootable USB installer.