How USMNT can qualify for World Cup finals over the next week

The race to the 2022 World Cup finals is drawing to a close, and the United States has three World Cup qualifiers over the next week.

Here's what the USMNT needs to do during this set of internationals to book a place in Qatar in November.

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How many nations qualify for the World Cup?

The top three nations in the group qualify directly to the World Cup in Qatar, which begins on Nov. 21 and runs through to the final on Dec. 18.

The fourth-placed nation in the CONCACAF region will face a one-legged playoff against the winner of the Oceania region, most likely New Zealand, in June for the right to qualify.

How many games are left?

Each nation still has six matches to play, three over the next week plus the remaining three, which will be held in March.

— <a href="/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/3860182/2022-world-cup-how-qualifying-works-around-the-world?src=" https: www.espn.com target="_blank">World Cup 2022 qualifying: How it works around the world

What results does the United States require in this week of games?

Head coach Gregg Berhalter will welcome El Salvador to Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; stream LIVE on ESPN2, ESPN+) and Honduras to St. Paul, Minnesota, next Wednesday, with a trip to take on Canada in Hamilton, Ontario, sandwiched in between on Sunday.

The only way the U.S. can qualify for the World Cup in this round of games is by winning all three of its matches — and it would need other results to go its way too, first and foremost either Mexico or Panama must lose all three of its games.

If Mexico loses all three games

Mexico plays Jamaica away and Costa Rica at home before hosting Panama in the third game. If Mexico vs. Panama is a draw, the United