Listed below are the dates and results for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the African zone (CAF). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification.
A total of 38 CAF teams entered the competition. However, Mali and Niger both withdrew before the draw was made. The African Zone was allocated five places (out of 32) in the final tournament.
Summary There would be two rounds of play: First round: Cameroon, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt, the four highest-ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the final round directly. The remaining 32 teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. The winners advanced to the final round. Final round: The 20 teams were divided into five groups of four teams each. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners qualified. These were:
First round
First leg
Second leg
Burkina Faso won 2–0 on aggregate
Namibia won 3–1 on aggregate
South Africa won 4–0 on aggregate
Angola won 5–1 on aggregate
Guinea won 5–4 on aggregate
Liberia won 5–2 on aggregate
Gabon won 3–0 on aggregate
Burundi won 2–0 on aggregate but withdrew before the Final Round started, so their place was given to Sierra Leone.
Zimbabwe won 4–3 on aggregate
Congo won 3–1 on aggregate
Zaire won 7–1 on aggregate
Tunisia won 5–1 on aggregate
Kenya won 3–2 on aggregate
Togo won 3–2 on aggregate
Zambia won 3–2 on aggregate
Ghana won 2–1 on aggregate
Final round
Key: Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finals.
Group 1
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Group 2
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Group 3
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In May 1997, Zaire were renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo DR).
Group 4
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Group 5
Gabon vs Sierra Leone was not played, since neither team could advance with a win.
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Match abandoned after 53 minutes due to crowd trouble. FIFA allowed the result to stand
Match postponed due to Sierra Leone not being able to travel from Freetown due to conflict. The match was never rearranged due to the result having no effect on final group standings
Qualified teams The following five teams from CAF qualified for the final tournament.
Team Qualified as Qualified onPrevious appearances in FIFA World Cup 1 (1994) 1 (1978) 0 (debut) 3 (1982, 1990, 1994) 3 (1970, 1986, 1994)
Goalscorers There were 229 goals scored in 91 matches, for an average of 2.52 goals per match. 5 goals
Paulão Mamadou Zongo Mike Okoth Origi Vitalis Takawira
4 goals
Patrick Mboma Hossam Hassan Titi Camara Momo Soumah Salaheddine Bassir Daniel Amokachi Phil Masinga Adel Sellimi
3 goals
Akwá Alphonse Tchami Macchambes Younga-Mouhani Ali Maher Fodé Camara Ahmed Bahja Khalid Raghib Zoubeir Baya
2 goals
Paulo Jorge da Silva Bernard Tchoutang Olivier Niere Hady Khashaba Mohammed Gargo Samuel Johnson Souleymane Oularé Pereira Tavares Musa Otieno Kennedy Simiyu Maurice Sunguti James Debbah George Weah Mohammed Ouseb Eliphas Shivute Gervatius Uri Khob Emmanuel Amunike Shaun Bartlett Bachirou Salou Kossi Noutsoudje Djima Oyawolé Khaled Badra Elos Elonga-Ekakia Michel Ngonge Jerry Tondelua Frazer Kamwandi Dennis Lota Andrew Tembo
1 goal
Abdelhafid Tasfaout Sid Ahmed Zerrouki Fernando Manuel Sousa Joaquim Alberto Silva Kassoum Ouédraogo Firmin Sanou Ousmane Sanou Brahima Traore Jean-Marie Mbuyi Sutche Wambo Jean-Jacques Missé-Missé Christ Bongo Charles Imboula Sousa Miyamou Lassina Dao Hazem Emam Hesham Hanafy Ahmed Hassan Ibrahim Hassan Samir Kamouna Abdel Sattar Sabry Brice Mackaya Anicet Yala Ngoukou Théodore Nzue Nguema Jonas Ogandaga Abdul Aziz Corr Ebrima Ebou Sillah Felix Aboagye Augustine Ahinful Arthur Moses Abedi Pele Tibou Bangoura Cipriano Có Nando Có Vincent Kwarula Henry Motego Francis Were Robert Clarke Prince Daye Oliver Makor Jiana Raoelijaona Etienne Hajason Rasoanaivo Etienne Rado Rasoanaivo Antoine Mocude Youssef Fertout El Arbi Hababi Mustapha Hadji Noureddine Naybet Armando Macamo Ewald Hoeseb Johannes Ortmann Simon Uutoni Mutiu Adepoju Jonathan Akpoborie Sunday Oliseh Wilson Oruma Leon Mupenzi Mamadou Diallo Omar Traoré Jamiru Amidu Lamin Conteh Mohamed Kallon Abu Kanu Mark Fish Doctor Khumalo Helman Mkhalele Eric Tinkler Mark Williams Khalid Ahmed Elmustafa Anas Elnour Mohamed Daima Kokouni Akpalo Gnavor Lantame Ouadja Tadjou Salou Mehdi Ben Slimane Hédi Berkhissa Taoufik Herichi Riadh Jelassi Jameleddine Limam Skander Souayah Robert Kizito Epotele Bazamba Emeka Mamale Nzelo Hervé Lembi Étienne N'tsunda Zico Tumba Johnson Bwalya Kenneth Malitoli Mwape Miti Vincent Mutale Kennedy Chihuri Edelbert Dinha Adam Ndlovu Agent Sawu Cloudious Zviripayi
1 own goal
Mohamadi Balma (playing against Guinea) Abubakar Kamara (playing against Ghana)
External links RSSSF Page Fifa.com Information