After a perfect qualifying window with a trio of 2-0 games, Canada sits on the precipice of its first World Cup berth since 1986.

With three matches remaining, Canada remains atop the CONCACAF Octagon, four points clear of both Mexico and the United States. But it's the buffer between them and fourth place that is most important. The top three teams in the CONCACAF table get automatic berths to Qatar 2022, with the fourth-place team being forced to settle for a do-or-die intercontinental playoff against a team from Oceania for one of the final World Cup spots.

(An aside: the Oceania Football Confederation's qualification tournament works differently than most others due to its small size. The OFC is not awarded an automatic berth, so the intercontinental playoff is the only opportunity for its teams to qualify for Qatar. The next window will determine the Oceania representative in the playoff. Eight remaining teams have been split into two groups and will play three round-robin games. The winner of Group A will meet the runner-up in Group B and the Group B winner takes on the Group A runner-up in the same final stage. The two teams that emerge will face off on Mar. 30 for top spot. All of these matches will be played in Qatar. Group A features the Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands. Group B is comprised of New Zealand, the heavy favourite, New Caledonia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.)

Currently, Panama is in fourth, sitting on 17 points, four back of the USMNT and El Tri for an automatic spot and eight behind the CanMNT. With only nine points left for the taking, Canada's qualification is virtually assured, but there are a couple of scenarios in which Canada could be forced into the intercontinental playoff. Should Canada lose out against Costa Rica, Jamaica and Panama and Panama defeats Honduras, the USMNT and Canada, Panama would finish one point ahead. Should Canada get a single point in their matches against Costa Rica and Jamaica and Panama wins out and also makes up a 13-goal difference against Canada in the process, Panama would finish ahead on goal differential. These scenarios are possible, but unlikely.

What this all means, then, is that Canada can put the finishing touches on a World Cup berth as soon as Matchday 1 of the next qualifying window on March 24 by accruing two points through:

1. Beating Costa Rica outright

2. A Panama loss or draw against Honduras

Canadians have already waited 36 years for this moment. The wait is almost over.