# 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the Oceanian zone (OFC). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification.
A total of 10 teams entered the competition. The Oceanian zone was allocated 0.5 places (out of 32) in the final tournament.

## Format

There would be three rounds of play:
* First round: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tahiti, the four best ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the second round directly. The remaining six teams were divided into two groups of three teams each, namely the Melanesian group and the Polynesian group, based on geographical considerations. The teams played against each other once. The winner of the Melanesian group advanced to the second round. The runner-up of the Melanesian group and the winner of the Polynesian group advanced to the first round play-off. In the play-off, they played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner advanced to the second round.
* Second round: The six teams were divided into two groups of three teams each. The teams played against each other twice. The group winners advanced to the final round.
* Final round: The two teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner advanced to the AFC–OFC inter-confederation play-off.

## First round
### Melanesian group

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | |
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | Second round | — | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| 2 | Solomon Islands | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Play-off | — | — | 1–1 |
| 3 | Vanuatu | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 | | — | — | — |

### Polynesian group

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | |
| 1 | Tonga | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 | Play-off | — | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| 2 | Western Samoa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | | — | — | 2–1 |
| 3 | Cook Islands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 | | — | — | — |

### Play-off

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Tonga | 0–13 | Solomon Islands | 0–4 | 0–9 |
Solomon Islands won 13–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

## Second round
### Group 1

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | |
| 1 | Australia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | +24 | 12 | Final round | — | 13–0 | 5–0 |
| 2 | Solomon Islands | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 21 | −14 | 4 | | 2–6 | — | 4–1 |
| 3 | Tahiti | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 1 | | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |

### Group 2

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | |
| 1 | New Zealand | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 1 | +12 | 9 | Final round | — | 5–0 | 7–0 |
| 2 | Fiji | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 6 | | 0–1 | — | 3–1 |
| 3 | Papua New Guinea | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 3 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | — |

## Final round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| New Zealand | 0–5 | Australia | 0–3 | 0–2 |
| New Zealand | Australia |
| Australia | New Zealand |
Australia won 5–0 on aggregate and advanced to the AFC–OFC inter-confederation play-off.

## Inter-confederation play-off

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Iran | 3–3 (a) | Australia | 1–1 | 2–2 |

## Goalscorers

There were 85 goals scored in 22 matches, for an average of 3.86 goals per match.
7 goals
* Noel Berry
6 goals
* John Aloisi
5 goals
* Damian Mori
* Robert Seni
4 goals
* Vaughan Coveny
* Wynton Rufer
3 goals
* Graham Arnold
* Ernie Tapai
* Paul Trimboli
* Aurelio Vidmar
2 goals
* Craig Foster
* Ned Zelic
* George Kiriau
* Augustine Peli
* Eddie Rukumana
* Timote Moleni
1 goal
* Mark Bosnich
* Matthew Bingley
* Robbie Slater
* Mani Stenter
* Solome Pita
* Esala Masinisau
* Liuai Duguga
* Alivate Driu
* Chris Jackson
* Simon Elliott
* Tim Stevens
* Riki van Steeden
* Nik Viljoen
* Richard Daniel
* Batman Furigi
* Roy Karang
* Francis Niakuam
* Wesley Waiwai
* Michael Junior Palusami
* T. Tapunuu
* Jeffrey Kwaomae
* Batram Suri
* Moses Toata
* Danny Wabo
* Jean Ludivion
* Jean-Loup Rousseau
* Tolutau Vane
* Reginal Garo
* Iau Tuan Naukoot
1 own goal
* Jimmy Kaierea (against Australia)