1998 FIFA World Cup qualification

A total of 174 teams entered the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds which began with the preliminary qualification draw on 12 December 1995 at Paris, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. This is the first time there would be 32 teams in the finals. France, as the hosts, and Brazil, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 30 spots open for competition.

The 32 spots available in the 1998 World Cup would be distributed among the continental zones as follows:

• Europe (UEFA): 15 places, one of which went to automatic qualifier France, while the other 14 places were contested by 49 teams.
• South America (CONMEBOL): 5 places, one of which went to automatic qualifier Brazil, while the other 4 places were contested by 9 teams.
• North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF): 3 places, contested by 30 teams.
• Africa (CAF): 5 places, contested by 38 teams.
• Asia (AFC): 3.5 places, contested by 36 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs (against a team from OFC).
• Oceania (OFC): 0.5 place, contested by 10 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs (against a team from AFC).

A total of 168 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 643 qualifying matches were played, and 1922 goals were scored (an average of 2.99 per match).

In the event, the final was played between the two automatic qualifiers.

Continental zones

To see the dates and results of the qualification rounds for each continental zone, click on the following articles:

• Europe (UEFA)

Group 1 – Denmark qualified. Croatia advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Group 2 – England qualified. Italy advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Group 3 – Norway qualified. Hungary advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Group 4 – Austria qualified. Scotland also qualified with the best record among the runners-up.

Group 5 – Bulgaria qualified. Russia advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Group 6 – Spain qualified. Yugoslavia advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Group 7 – Netherlands qualified. Belgium advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Group 8 – Romania qualified. Republic of Ireland advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Group 9 – Germany qualified. Ukraine advanced to the UEFA play-offs.

Play-offs – Croatia, Italy, Belgium and Yugoslavia qualified over Ukraine, Russia, Republic of Ireland and Hungary respectively.

• South America (CONMEBOL)

Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia and Chile qualified.

• North America (CONCACAF)

Mexico, USA and Jamaica qualified.

• Africa (CAF)

Group 1 – Nigeria qualified.

Group 2 – Tunisia qualified.

Group 3 – South Africa qualified.

Group 4 – Cameroon qualified.

Group 5 – Morocco qualified.

• Asia (AFC)

Group A – Saudi Arabia qualified. Iran advanced to the AFC play-off.

Group B – South Korea qualified. Japan advanced to the AFC play-off.

Play-off – Japan qualified. Iran advanced to the AFC–OFC intercontinental play-off.

• Oceania (OFC)

Australia advanced to the AFC–OFC intercontinental play-off.

Intercontinental play-offs

The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would qualify.

AFC–OFC intercontinental play-off

Iran  v  Australia

22 November 1997

Iran	1–1	Australia
Azizi  40'		Kewell  19'

Azadi Stadium, Tehran Attendance: 128,000 Referee: Pierluigi Pairetto (Italy)

Australia  v  Iran

29 November 1997

Australia	2–2	Iran
Kewell  32' Vidmar  48'		Bagheri  71' Azizi  75'

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Attendance: 98,000 Referee: Sándor Puhl (Hungary)

The aggregate score was tied 3–3, and Iran qualified due to the away goals rule.

Qualified teams

Final qualification status

  Country qualified for World Cup

  Country failed to qualify

  Country did not enter World Cup

  Country not a FIFA member

The following 32 teams qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup:

Team	Qualified as	Qualification date	Appearance in finals	Consecutive Streak	Previous best performance
France (h)	*Host !Host	002 July 1992	10 !10th	011986 !1 (Last: 1986)	15 !Third Place (1958, 1986)
Brazil (c)	*Defending Champions !Defending Champions	0017 July 1994	16 !16th	011930 !16	14 !Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994)
Nigeria	CAF 1 !CAF Final Round Group 1 Winners	007 June 1997	2 !2nd	011994 !2	14 !Round of 16 (1994)
Tunisia	CAF 2 !CAF Final Round Group 2 Winners	008 June 1997	2 !2nd	011978 !1 (Last: 1978)	14 !Group Stage (1978)
Morocco	CAF 5 !CAF Final Round Group 5 Winners	008 June 1997	4 !4th	011994 !2	14 !Round of 16 (1986)
South Africa	CAF 3 !CAF Final Round Group 3 Winners	0016 August 1997	1 !1st	011998 !1
Cameroon	CAF 4 !CAF Final Round Group 4 Winners	0017 August 1997	4 !4th	011990 !3	14 !Quarter Finals (1990)
Romania	UEFA 8 !UEFA Group 8 Winners	0020 August 1997	7 !7th	011990 !3	14 !Quarter Finals (1994)
Norway	UEFA 3 !UEFA Group 3 Winners	006 September 1997	3 !3rd	011994 !2	14 !Group Stage (1938, 1994)
Bulgaria	UEFA 5 !UEFA Group 5 Winners	0010 September 1997	7 !7th	011994 !2	14 !Fourth Place (1994)
Argentina	CONMEBOL 1 !CONMEBOL Winners	0010 September 1997	12 !12th	011974 !7	9 !Winners (1978, 1986)
Colombia	CONMEBOL 3 !CONMEBOL Third Place	0010 September 1997	4 !4th	011990 !3	9 !Round of 16 (1990)
Paraguay	CONMEBOL 2 !CONMEBOL Runners-Up	0010 September 1997	5 !5th	011998 !1 (Last: 1986)	9 !Round of 16 (1986)
Denmark	UEFA 1 !UEFA Group 1 Winners	0011 October 1997	2 !2nd	011986 !1 (Last: 1986)	14 !Round of 16 (1986)
England	UEFA 2 !UEFA Group 2 Winners	0011 October 1997	10 !10th	011998 !1 (Last: 1990)	14 !Winners (1966)
Austria	UEFA 4 !UEFA Group 4 Winners	0011 October 1997	7 !7th	011998 !1 (Last: 1990)	14 !Third Place (1954)
Spain	UEFA 6 !UEFA Group 6 Winners	0011 October 1997	10 !10th	011978 !6	14 !Fourth Place (1950)
Netherlands	UEFA 7 !UEFA Group 7 Winners	0011 October 1997	6 !6th	011990 !3	14 !Runners-Up (1974, 1978)
Germany	UEFA 9 !UEFA Group 9 Winners	0011 October 1997	14 !14th	011954 !12	14 !Winners (1954, 1974, 1990)
Scotland	Best runner-up	0011 October 1997	8 !8th	011998 !1 (Last: 1990)	14 !Group Stage (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990)
Mexico	CONCACAF 4 !CONCACAF Fourth Round Winners	0012 October 1997	11 !11th	011994 !2	14 !Quarter Finals (1970, 1986)
South Korea	AFC B !AFC Final Round Group B Winners	0018 October 1997	5 !5th	011986 !4	14 !Group Stage (1954, 1986, 1990, 1994)
United States	CONCACAF 4 !CONCACAF Fourth Round Runners-Up	009 November 1997	6 !6th	011990 !3	14 !Third Place (1930)
Saudi Arabia	AFC A !AFC Final Round Group A Winners	0012 November 1997	2 !2nd	011994 !2	14 !Round of 16 (1994)
Croatia	UEFA P !UEFA Play-off Winners	0015 November 1997	1 !1st	011998 !1
Italy	UEFA P !UEFA Play-off Winners	0015 November 1997	14 !14th	011962 !10	14 !Winners (1934, 1938, 1982)
Belgium	UEFA P !UEFA Play-off Winners	0015 November 1997	10 !10th	011982 !5	14 !Fourth Place (1986)
Yugoslavia	UEFA P !UEFA Play-off Winners	0015 November 1997	9 !9th	011998 !1 (Last: 1990)	14 !Fourth Place (1930, 1962)
Japan	AFC P !AFC Play-off Winners	0016 November 1997	1 !1st	011998 !1
Jamaica	CONCACAF 4 !CONCACAF Fourth Round Third Place	0016 November 1997	1 !1st	011998 !1
Chile	CONMEBOL 4 !CONMEBOL Fourth Place	0016 November 1997	7 !7th	011998 !1 (Last: 1982)	9 !Third Place (1962)
Iran	AFC P !AFC v OFC Play-off Winners	0029 November 1997	2 !2nd	011998 !1 (Last: 1978)	9 !Group Stage (1978)

(h) – qualified automatically as hosts

(c) – qualified automatically as defending champions

Notes

• For the first time, the South American qualifiers were held in a single group.
• Australia had a 2–0 lead against Iran in the second leg of their play-off against Iran, but conceded two late goals and was denied a place in the finals. The result meant that Australia went undefeated in qualifying but still miss out on qualification.
• Burundi won their 2 first games of this qualifying campaign, unfortunately they had to withdraw due to civil war, meaning they were eliminated though winning all of their matches.

External links

• FIFA World Cup official site - 1998 World Cup qualification
• RSSSF - 1998 World Cup Qualification