World Cup scenarios: What needs to happen for the US to qualify for Russia

It all comes down to Tuesday night.

After a long and bumpy qualifying road, the US national team can officially clinch their spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Tuesday's massive road game vs. Trinidad and Tobago (8 pm ET, beIN SPORTS, NBC Universo).

While the USMNT are in action, Honduras will also be hosting Mexico and Panama welcomes Costa Rica as the final day of CONCACAF qualifying comes to a close. Mexico (21 points) and Costa Rica (16 points) have already clinched the first two spots from CONCACAF, while the US (12 points), Panama (10 points) and Honduras (10 points) are vying for the third automatic spot. The fourth-place finisher will meet Australia in an intercontinental playoff.

Here are the scenarios that will put the USMNT in Russia next summer:

	PTS	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
<a href="/meta/club/mexico">Mexico</a> - x	21	6	0	3	14	4	+10
Costa Rica - x	16	4	1	4	13	6	+7
<a href="/meta/club/united-states">United States</a>	12	3	3	3	16	11	+5
Panama	10	2	3	4	7	9	-2
Honduras	10	2	3	4	10	17	-7
Trinidad & Tobago	3	1	8	0	5	18	-13

If USA wins

USA clinches an automatic berth to the World Cup.

If USA draw

USA clinches an automatic berth in the World Cup UNLESS Panama and Honduras both win and make up massive deficits in goal differential compared to the USA: Panama would have to win by eight goals while Honduras would have to win by 13 to be sure of advancing on tiebreakers.

A 4th-place finish and a playoff against Australia is a possibility after tiebreakers are applied.