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The 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification, CONCACAF zone ran from March 1996 to November 1997 in order to determine the three CONCACAF representatives at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 24th 1996 – November 16th 1997 |
| Teams | 28[a] (from 1 confederation) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 98 |
| Goals scored | 295 (3.01 per match) |
| Attendance | 2,065,454 (21,076 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Carlos Hermosillo(11 Goals) |
← 1994 2002 → | |
A total of 30 CONCACAF teams entered the competition. Mexico, the USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador and Canada, the six highest-ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the third round directly. The remaining 24 teams were divided into two zones, based on geographical locations.
In the third round, the 12 teams were divided into three groups of four teams each. They played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners and runners-up would advance to the final round.
In the final round, the six teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The top three teams would qualify.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dominican Republic 
|
6–3 |  Aruba
|
3–2 | 3–1 |
Guyana 
|
1–8 |  Grenada
|
1–2 | 0–6 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis 
|
w/o |  Bahamas
|
— | — |
Dominica 
|
6–4 |  Antigua and Barbuda
|
3–3 | 3–1 |
| Dominican Republic | 3–2 | Aruba |
|---|---|---|
Rodríguez  28'Mariano 50'Peña 73' |
Report | Davelaar 60' Malmberg 84' |
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Timothy Joseph (Saint Lucia)
| Aruba | 1–3 | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|---|
| Davelaar 38' (pen.) |
Report | Rodríguez 5' (pen.) Aquino 62'Queliz 87' |
Attendance: 1,137
Referee: Gilberto Alcalá Pineda (Mexico)
Dominican Republic won 6–3 on aggregate and advanced to the first round.
| Guyana | 1–2 | Grenada |
|---|---|---|
| Joseph 13' |
Report | Charles 54' Roberts 63' |
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Christiaan Eiloof (Suriname)
| Grenada | 6–0 | Guyana |
|---|---|---|
| Charles 33' François 40', 47'Fletcher 48', 71', 82' |
Report |
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Billy Doctrove (Dominica)
Grenada won 8–1 on aggregate and advanced to the first round.
The Bahamas withdrew, so Saint Kitts and Nevis advanced to the first round automatically.
| Dominica | 3–3 | Antigua and Barbuda |
|---|---|---|
| Dominique 8' Dangler 42'Marshall 89' |
Report | Clarke 15' Edwards 28', 75' |
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Mark Forde (Barbados)
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1–3 | Dominica |
|---|---|---|
| Edwards 59' |
Report | Greenaway 23' Morancie 60'Edmond 66' |
Attendance: 900
Referee: Evaroy Babb (Guyana)
Dominica won 6–4 on aggregate and advanced to the first round.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican Republic
|
2–1 |  Netherlands Antilles
|
2–1 | 0–0 |
Haiti 
|
7–1 | Grenada
|
6–1 | 1–0 |
Cayman Islands 
|
0–6 |  Cuba
|
0–1 | 0–5 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
6–1 |  Saint Lucia
|
5–1 | 1–0 |
Puerto Rico 
|
1–9 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
1–2 | 0–7 |
| Dominica
|
0–2 |  Barbados
|
0–1 | 0–1 |
Suriname 
|
0–2 |  Jamaica
|
0–1 | 0–1 |
Trinidad and Tobago 
|
w/o |  Bermuda
|
— | — |
| Dominican Republic | 2–1 | Netherlands Antilles |
|---|---|---|
| Jiménez 35' Zapata 68' |
Report | Gersley 40' |
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Victorino Rodríguez Portillo (El Salvador)
| Netherlands Antilles | 0–0 | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Attendance: 1,111
Referee: Carlos Mendizabal Euceda (Guatemala)
Dominican Republic won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.
| Haiti | 6–1 | Grenada |
|---|---|---|
| Chevalier 11' Pierre 35', 58' Chauvet 62', 64', 73' |
Report | Modeste 85' |
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Robin Murray (Trinidad and Tobago)
| Grenada | 0–1 | Haiti |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Pierre 49' |
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Victor Moore (Barbados)
Haiti won 7–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.
| Cayman Islands | 0–1 | Cuba |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Darcourt 10' |
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Argelio Sabillon (Honduras)
| Cuba | 5–0 | Cayman Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Cruzata 19' Sebrango 63' Darcourt 68', 81' Moré 83' |
Report |
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Pascual Rebolledo Cárdenas (Mexico)
Cuba won 6–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 5–1 | Saint Lucia |
|---|---|---|
| Kelley 5', 86' Sargeant 22', 44' Gumbs 41' |
Report | Jean 51' |
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Robin Murray (Trinidad and Tobago)
| Saint Lucia | 0–1 | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Kelley 50' |
Attendance: 500
Referee: Harry Leocadio Davelaar (Antigua and Barbuda)
Saint Kitts and Nevis won 6–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.
| Puerto Rico | 1–2 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
|---|---|---|
| Lugris 70' (pen.) |
Report | Huggins 18' Hinds 58' |
Attendance: 200
Referee: Manuel Villar (Aruba)
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 7–0 | Puerto Rico |
|---|---|---|
| Jack 3', 13', 25' Mussenden 35' (o.g.)Hinds 37', 59'Charles 64' |
Report |
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Lancelotte Livingston (Jamaica)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines won 9-1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.
| Dominica | 0–1 | Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Proverbs 63' |
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Charles Barrett (Jamaica)
| Barbados | 1–0 | Dominica |
|---|---|---|
| Goodridge 67' |
Report |
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Austin Eric Harewood (Trinidad and Tobago)
Barbados won 2–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.
| Suriname | 0–1 | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Whitmore 56' |
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Vanroy Burnes (Antigua and Barbuda)
| Jamaica | 1–0 | Suriname |
|---|---|---|
| P. Davis 73' |
Report |
Attendance: 6,100
Referee: Ronald Gutíerrez Castro (Costa Rica)
Jamaica won 2–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.
Bermuda withdrew, so Trinidad and Tobago advanced to the second round automatically.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caribbean Zone | |||||
| Cuba
|
7–2 | Haiti
|
6–1 | 1–1 | |
| Dominican Republic
|
1–12 | Trinidad and Tobago
|
1–4 | 0–8 | |
| Barbados
|
0–3 | Jamaica
|
0–1 | 0–2 | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
2–2 (a) | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
2–2 | 0–0 | |
| Central American Zone | |||||
Nicaragua 
|
1–3 |  Guatemala
|
0–1 | 1–2 | |
Belize 
|
2–6 |  Panama
|
1–2 | 1–4 | |
| Cuba | 6–1 | Haiti |
|---|---|---|
| Sebrango 18' Pedraza 44' Darcourt 61', 70', 71'Moré 81' |
Report | R. Pierre 84' |
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Mario Efrain Escobar (Guatemala)
| Haiti | 1–1 | Cuba |
|---|---|---|
| Chauvet 21' |
Report | Cruz 79' (pen.) |
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Ramon Luis Mendez Vega (Costa Rica)
Cuba won 7–2 on aggregate and advanced to the third round.
| Dominican Republic | 1–4 | Trinidad and Tobago |
|---|---|---|
| Jiménez 59' |
Report | Latapy 37', 67' Aquino 39' (o.g.) Eve 84' |
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Arturo Brizio Carter (Mexico)
| Trinidad and Tobago | 8–0 | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|---|
| John 1', 23', 80' Yorke 8' Eve 16', 42' Rougier 19' Latapy 89' |
Report |
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Rodrigo Badilla (Costa Rica)
Trinidad and Tobago won 12–1 on aggregate and advanced to the third round.
| Barbados | 0–1 | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Boyd 90' |
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Arturo Angeles (United States)
| Jamaica | 2–0 | Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| Whitmore 23' Boyd 72' |
Report |
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Ramesh Ramdhan (Trinidad and Tobago)
Jamaica won 3–0 on aggregate and advanced to the third round.
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2–2 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
|---|---|---|
| Gumbs 38' Bedford 88' |
Report | Hinds 12' Velox 35' |
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Mark Forde (Barbados)
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 0–0 | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Peter Prendergast (Jamaica)
2–2 on aggregate. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines won on the away goals rule and advanced to the third round.
| Nicaragua | 0–1 | Guatemala |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Plata 27' |
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Tim Wayland (United States)
| Guatemala | 2–1 | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| Plata 62', 67' |
Report | Jerez 87' |
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Dino Bucci (Canada)
Guatemala won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to the third round.
Belize  | 1–2 | Panama |
|---|---|---|
| McCaulay 28' |
Report | Guevara 57' Dely Valdés 61' |
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Rafael Rodriguez Medina (El Salvador)
| Panama | 4–1 | Belize |
|---|---|---|
| Dely Valdés 14', 46', 61' Mendieta 88' |
Report | Casey 60' |
Attendance: 17,500
Referee: Donald Campos (Nicaragua)
Panama won 6-2 on aggregate and advanced to the third round.
| Pos | Team
|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States
|
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 13 | Advanced to the fourth round | — | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | |
| 2 | Costa Rica
|
6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 12 | 2–1 | — | 3–0 | 2–1 | ||
| 3 | Guatemala
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 8 | 2–2 | 1–0 | — | 2–1 | ||
| 4 | Trinidad and Tobago
|
6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | — |
| Pos | Team
|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada
|
6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 16 | Advanced to the fourth round | — | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | |
| 2 | El Salvador
|
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 10 | 0–2 | — | 3–2 | 3–0 | ||
| 3 | Panama
|
6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 5 | 0–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–1 | ||
| 4 | Cuba
|
6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 16 | −12 | 3 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 3–1 | — |
| Pos | Team
|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamaica
|
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 13 | Advanced to the fourth round | — | 1–0 | 3–0 | 5–0 | |
| 2 | Mexico
|
6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 6 | +8 | 12 | 2–1 | — | 3–1 | 5–1 | ||
| 3 | Honduras
|
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 11 | +7 | 10 | 0–0 | 2–1 | — | 11–3 | ||
| 4 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 30 | −24 | 0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–4 | — |
| Pos | Team
|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 7 | +16 | 18 | Qualification to 1998 FIFA World Cup | — | 0–0 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 4–0 | |
| 2 | United States
|
10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 9 | +8 | 17 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 3–0 | ||
| 3 | Jamaica
|
10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 12 | −5 | 14 | 0–0 | 0–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | ||
| 4 | Costa Rica
|
10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 12 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | — | 0–0 | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | El Salvador
|
10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 10 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | — | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | Canada
|
10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 20 | −15 | 6 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — |
The following three teams from CONCACAF qualified for the final tournament.
| Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearancesinFIFA World Cup1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico |
Fourth round winners | 12 October 1997 | 10 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994) |
| United States |
Fourth round runners-up | 9 November 1997 | 5 (1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994) |
| Jamaica |
Fourth round third place | 16 November 1997 | 0 (debut) |
There were 295 goals scored in 98 matches, for an average of 3.01 goals per match.
11 goals
9 goals
Julio Dely Valdés8 goals
6 goals
Lázaro Darcourt5 goals
Juan Carlos Plata Nicolás Suazo Walter Boyd Theodore Whitmore Zague Eric Wynalda4 goals
Eduardo Sebrango Isaac Chauvet Deon Burton Andre Hinds Rodney Jack Angus Eve Brian McBride3 goals
Paul Peschisolido Hernan Medford Lester Moré Nildeson Keith Fletcher Golman Pierre Paul Young Dwight Allers Kelley Stern John Russell Latapy Roy Lassiter2 goals
Carlo Corazzin Alberto Jiménez Dinardo Rodríguez Mauricio Cienfuegos William Renderos Guillermo Rivera Ricky Charles Jason François Julio Rodas Eduardo Bennett Milton Núñez Carlos Pavón Enrique Reneau Christian Santamaria Andy Williams Luis García Luis Hernández Ricardo Peláez Rubén Guevara Víctor René Mendieta Keith Gumbs Vernon Sargeant Kendall Velox Jerren Nixon Eddie Pope Preki Roy Wegerle1 goal
Ryan Malmberg Gregory Goodridge Roger Proverbs Denmark Casey David McCaulay Geoff Aunger Eddy Berdusco Nick Dasovic Carl Fletcher Mark Watson Luis Diego Arnáez Javier Delgado Farlen Ilama Wílmer López Luis Marín Allan Oviedo Richard Smith Mauricio Solís Jafet Soto Manuel Bobadilla Armando Cruz Alexander Cruzata Mario Pedraza George Dangler Anthony Dominique Jeffrey Edmond Peter Greenaway Shane Marshall Stevenson Morancie Pedro Aquino Ramón Mariano Nelson Peña Cristian Queliz Omar Zapata Waldir Guerra Wilfredo Iraheta Elías Montes Jorge Rodríguez Giovanni Trigueros Patrick Modeste Otis Roberts Juan Manuel Funes Rudy Ramírez Bryan Joseph Wilson Chevalier Rosemond Pierre Arnold Cruz Merlyn Membreño Barrios Zapata Peter Cargill Paul Davis Ian Goodison Paul Hall Stephen Malcolm Enrique Alfaro Damián Ariel Álvarez Paulo César Chávez Joaquín del Olmo Alberto García Ramón Ramírez Gijsberta Gersley Ezequiel Jerez Juan Carlos Cubillas Marcos Lugris Larrymore Bedford Earl Jean Wesley Charles James Chewitt Alwyn Guy Christopher Harry Marlos Huggins Everad Sam Anthony Rougier Dwight Yorke Thomas Dooley Frankie Hejduk Chris Henderson Cobi Jones Joe-Max Moore Tab Ramos Claudio Reyna Earnie Stewart1 own goal
Pedro Aquino (against Trinidad and Tobago) Nicolás Ramírez (against the United States) Angel Mussenden (against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) Dexter Walker (against Mexico)