How can USMNT qualify for the World Championship?

The USMNT meet Mexico on Thursday, with their route to Qatar still uncertain – but in their own hands.

It’s been a long and difficult qualifying campaign in CONCACAF, with Canada currently topping the table.

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But recent positive results for the USA have put them on the brink of reaching their first World Cup final since 2014.

How can USMNT qualify for the World Championship?

There are currently three games left in the lengthy CONCACAF qualifiers.

Of the eight teams competing in the group stage, the top three will automatically travel to Qatar for this autumn’s finals.

The fourth-place team will play the winner of the Oceania Football Confederation phase, which is expected to be New Zealand, in a playoff round.

Currently, the three nations traveling to Qatar are Canada, the United States and Mexico, with Panama just ahead of Costa Rica in fourth place in the playoffs.

Four points off fourth place, both Mexico and the USA (21 points) are on pole to qualify, with Canada’s (25 points) spot all but confirmed.

But there is still a lot to do.

A USA win over Mexico would not mathematically seal their place in Qatar – but they would be incredibly unlikely to miss it.

Three points on Thursday night would take Gregg Berhalter’s team to 25 points when Panama take on Honduras in Panama City on Friday.

If Panama wins this game then all attention will turn to the teams meeting on March 27th.

Should the Stars and Stripes beat the visitors in this game after a positive result in Mexico, they will be on the plane.

A loss in Mexico City and then a loss to Panama and suddenly things get very interesting.

USMNT meets Costa Rica in their final qualifier on March 30th.

And they know that avoiding defeat in all three remaining games will secure a place in the finals.

Canada, meanwhile, can secure their place in the World Cup with a win over Costa Rica on Thursday.

How can I watch Mexico vs USA?

The big CONCACAF qualifier continues Thursday, March 24th.

Kick-off is at 10pm ET, which is 7pm PT and 2am GMT.

The game will be broadcast live on CBS, Univision and TUDN USA.