1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Listed below are the dates and results for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the South American zone (CONMEBOL). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article "1998 FIFA World Cup qualification". A total of 10 CONMEBOL teams entered the competition. The South American zone was allocated 5 places (out of 32) in the final tournament. Brazil, the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 4 spots open for competition between 9 teams. This was the first World Cup qualifying competition to involve all of the yet-unqualified teams in the confederation playing
FIFA World Cup receive medals with an insignia of the World Cup Trophy; winners' (gold), runners-up' (silver), and third-place (bronze). In the 2002 edition, fourth-place medals were awarded to hosts South Korea. Before the 1978 tournament, medals were only awarded to the eleven players on the pitch at the end of the final and the third-place match. In November 2007, FIFA announced that all members of World Cup-winning squads between 1930 and 1974 were to be retroactively awarded winners' medals. Since the second World Cup in 1934, qualifying tournaments have been held to thin the field for the final tournament. They are held