1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC) explained

Tourney Name:	1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
Num Teams:	10
Confederations:	1
Matches:	22
Goals:	85
Top Scorer:	Noel Berry (7 goals)
Prevseason:	1994
Nextseason:	2002

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.

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Solomon Islands won 13–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

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Australia won 5–0 on aggregate and advanced to the AFC–OFC inter-confederation play-off.