24 countries entered the qualification round. They were divided in five groups. The top three teams of each group qualified for the Challenge Round. Spain, Belarus and France received a bye to the Challenge Round. Romania (as host), Russia (as incumbent champion) and the Czech Republic (as incumbent runner-up) received a bye to the main tournament and did not play in the qualification round or the Challenge Round.
Group A The games were played in
Riga,
Latvia, from August 21 to 23, 1998.
Group B The games were played in
Snina,
Slovakia, from August 5 to 9, 1998.
Group C The games were played in
Škofja Loka,
Slovenia, from August 5 to 9, 1998.
Group D The games were played in
Huskvarna,
Sweden, from August 5 to 9, 1998.
Group E The games were played in
Adapazarı,
Turkey, from August 5 to 9, 1998. ==Challenge Round==