10 entrants: one to advance to a playoff with a team from Asia.
First-Round Byes
Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti.
First Round
Melanesian Group — Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Polynesian Group — Cook Islands, Tonga, Western Samoa.
Winner of Melanesian group and winner of playoff between the Polynesian Group first-place and Melanesian Group second-place teams advance to second round.
Second Round
Group 1 — Australia, Tahiti, Polynesian No. 1, Melanesian No. 2.
Group 2 — New Zealand, Fiji, Melanesian No. 1.
The two group winners play home and away legs to determine Oceaia champion, who then plays an Asian nation for a berth at France ’98.