The 1998–99 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the 118th season of competition in England for 'The Football Association Challenge Cup' (FA Cup), the world's oldest association football single knockout competition. A total of 558 clubs were accepted for the competition, down five from the previous season's 563.
The large number of clubs entering the tournament meant that the competition started with preliminary and four qualifying knockouts for these non-League teams. The 32 winning teams from fourth round qualifying progressed to the First round proper, where League teams tiered at Levels 3 and 4 entered the competition.
Calendar Round Start date Leagues entering at this round New entries this round Winners from previous round Number of fixturesPreliminary round 21 August 1998 Isthmian LeagueNorthern Premier LeagueSouthern League(except Premier divisions) 172 none 86Combined Counties LeagueEastern Counties LeagueEssex Senior LeagueHellenic LeagueKent LeagueMidland AllianceNorth West Counties LeagueNorthern Counties East LeagueNorthern LeagueSouth Western Football LeagueSpartan South Midlands LeagueSussex County LeagueUnited Counties LeagueWessex LeagueWest Midlands (Regional) LeagueWestern League First round qualifying 4 September 1998 none 206 86 146 Second round qualifying 18 September 1998 Isthmian LeagueNorthern Premier LeagueSouthern Football League(Premier divisions) 66 146 106 Third round qualifying 2 October 1998 Football Conference 22 106 64 Fourth round qualifying 16 October 1998 none none 64 32
Preliminary round Matches were played on weekend of Saturday 21 August 1998. A total of 172 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including 44 clubs from the four divisions at Level 7 of English football and 128 clubs from sixteen lower-level leagues, while other 44 clubs from the four divisions at Level 7 of English football and 162 clubs from lower-level leagues get a bye to the first round qualifying.
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier)1Ashton United (7)5–2Willington (9)2Thackley (8)2–1Hebburn (8)3Atherton Collieries (8)1–2Armthorpe Welfare (8)4Stockton (8)1–4Liversedge (8)5Rossendale United (8)0–3Brigg Town (8)6Ashington (9)2–1Horden Colliery Welfare (9)7Sheffield (8)2–4Atherton Laburnum Rovers (8)8Trafford (7)4–1Peterlee Newtown (9)9Ramsbottom United (8)0–0Maine Road (8) Maine Road (8)1–2 Ramsbottom United (8)10Harrogate Town (7)1–2Burscough (7)11Tadcaster Albion (9)1–0Ossett Town (8)12Guisborough Town (8)1–3Rossington Main (9)13Shotton Comrades (9)1–2Jarrow Roofing BCA (8)14Flixton (7)3–0Northallerton Town (9)15Marske United (8)1–1Billingham Synthonia (8) Billingham Synthonia (8)3–0Marske United (8)16Oldham Town (9)0–2Warrington Town (9)17Bacup Borough (9)w/oBlackpool Rovers (10)Walkover for Bacup Borough – Blackpool Rovers removed18Bradford Park Avenue (7)4–1Easington Colliery (8)19Yorkshire Amateur (9)1–3Witton Albion (7)20Durham City (9)2–0Dunston Federation Brewery (8)21Sandwell Borough (8)0–3Blakenall (7)22Boston Town (8)2–0Blackstones (8)23Shepshed Dynamo (7)1–1Barwell (8) Barwell (8)Shepshed Dynamo (7)24Sutton Coldfield Town (7)1–0VS Rugby (7)25Hinckley United (7)2–0Rushall Olympic (8)26Lye Town (9)0–1Racing Club Warwick (7)27Oldbury United (8)2–0Shifnal Town (8)28Stafford Rangers (7)3–0Boldmere St Michaels (8)29Matlock Town (7)4–1Redditch United (7)30Halesowen Harriers (8)2–1Stourport Swifts (8)31Bridgnorth Town (8)3–3Borrowash Victoria (9) Borrowash Victoria (9)0–2Bridgnorth Town (8)32Corby Town (7)0–4Leek CSOB (8)33Chelmsford City (7)6–0Fakenham Town (8)34Canvey Island (7)6–1Stansted (10)35Eynesbury Rovers (8)3–3Southall (9) Southall (9)6–0Eynesbury Rovers (8)36Tring Town (9)0–2Waltham Abbey (10)3-0 win awarded to Tring Town due to a rule break by the opposition37Bowers United (10)5–3Wootton Blue Cross (8)38Felixstowe Port & Town (8)1–2Ford Sports Daventry (8)39Leyton Pennant (7)2–1Wembley (7)40Stotfold (8)2–2Sudbury Town (8) Sudbury Town (8)2–1Stotfold (8)41Harpenden Town3–2Burnham42Potton United0–3Baldock Town (7)43Hornchurch1–1London Colney London Colney1–0Hornchurch44Marlow2–1Hemel Hempstead
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier)45Bury Town1–1Tilbury Tilbury3–2Bury Town46Kingsbury Town4–4Grays Athletic (7) Grays Athletic (7)7–0Kingsbury Town47Stowmarket Town5–1Gorleston48Potters Bar Town2–2Wealdstone (7) Wealdstone (7)5–3Potters Bar Town49Witney Town (7)3–0Northwood50Arlesey Town0–2Barking51Welwyn Garden City6–1East Thurrock United52Ford United2–0Wellingborough Town53Burnham Ramblers2–1Soham Town Rangers54Halstead Town3–0Flackwell Heath55Wisbech Town (7)2–3Bedford Town56Desborough Town1–0Cheshunt57Farnham Town1–1Hailsham Town Hailsham Town3–2Farnham Town58Molesey (7)1–4Oxford City (7)59Deal Town4–1Hillingdon Borough60Egham Town2–2Fisher Athletic (7) Fisher Athletic (7)6–0Egham Town61St Leonards (7)2–1Wick62Cowes Sports1–2Dorking63Godalming & Guildford1–2Banstead Athletic64Dartford (7)0–0Reading Town Reading Town0–3Dartford (7)65Folkestone Invicta (7)2–3Tonbridge Angels (7)66Ashford Town (Kent) (7)1–1Margate (7) Margate (7)1–2Ashford Town (Kent) (7)67Littlehampton Town1–4Fleet Town (7)68Fareham Town0–2Croydon (7)69Portfield1–1Eastleigh Eastleigh0–3Portfield70Abingdon Town0–3Maidenhead United (7)71Ashford Town (Middx)1–3Erith & Belvedere (7)72Bashley (7)4–2Ramsgate73Chatham Town1–1Horsham Horsham3–1Chatham Town74Eastbourne Town1–0Herne Bay75Wokingham Town0–2Camberley Town76Burgess Hill Town1–0Thame United77Torrington0–1Melksham Town78Cirencester Town (7)3–2Chippenham Town79Falmouth Town1–0Devizes Town80Newport (7)0–0Weston-super-Mare (7) Weston-super-Mare (7)1–0Newport (7)81Elmore1–0Yate Town (7)82Paulton Rovers2–1Bemerton Heath Harlequins83Minehead Town4–0Frome Town84Backwell United2–1Calne Town85Bideford1–2Barnstaple Town86Bridgwater Town5–0Welton Rovers
First round qualifying Matches were played on weekend of 4 September 1998. A total of 292 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 86 winners from the preliminary round and 206 clubs, who get a bye to this round, including 44 clubs from the four divisions at Level 7 of English football.
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier)1Billingham Town7–3Denaby United2Ashington0–2Louth United3Atherton Laburnum Rovers0–4Chester-le-Street Town4Prescot Cables5–2Liversedge5Crook Town1–4Farsley Celtic (7)6Eccleshill United2–2Penrith Penrith6–0Eccleshill United7Brigg Town1–0Garforth Town8Tadcaster Albion1–1Armthorpe Welfare Armthorpe WelfareTadcaster Albion9Seaham Red Star2–2Netherfield Kendal (7) Netherfield Kendal (7)8–1Seaham Red Star10Warrington Town0–4North Ferriby United11Bootle2–3Bradford Park Avenue (7)12Glasshoughton Welfare3–1Salford CityGlasshoughton Welfare expelled for playing ineligible player - Salford City awarded a 0-3 win 13Consett1–2Newcastle Blue Star14West Auckland Town5–0Rossington Main15Chadderton1–1Ryhope Community Association Ryhope Community Association2–1Chadderton16St Helens Town3–1Brandon United17Radcliffe Borough (7)2–1Clitheroe18Evenwood Town4–1Durham City19Droylsden (7)2–2Maltby Main Maltby Main0–2Droylsden (7)20Flixton (7)3–0Brodsworth Miners Welfare21Ossett Albion1–1Workington WorkingtonOssett Albion22Ashton United (7)2–1Tow Law Town23Great Harwood Town (7)3–3Whitley Bay (7) Whitley Bay (7)1–2Great Harwood Town (7)24South Shields0–2Witton Albion (7)25Morpeth Town2–0Skelmersdale United26Parkgate4–2Cheadle Town27Ramsbottom United3–0Shildon28Trafford (7)1–2Mossley29Bedlington Terriers11–1Pickering Town30Billingham Synthonia7–0Darwen31Gretna (7)0–0Harrogate Railway Athletic Harrogate Railway Athletic2–1Gretna (7)32Whickham0–2Stocksbridge Park Steels (7)33Thackley2–0Bacup Borough34Selby Town6–0Curzon Ashton35Burscough (7)2–0Jarrow Roofing BCA36Staveley Miners Welfare1–3Leek CSOB37Racing Club Warwick (7)1–0Willenhall Town38Boston Town0–5Eastwood Town (7)39Stapenhill1–0Spalding United40Belper Town (7)3–0Alfreton Town (7)41Rocester3–0Holbeach United42Shepshed Dynamo (7)4–1Bloxwich Town (7)43Glapwell1–2Matlock Town (7)44Lincoln United (7)3–0Wednesfield45Halesowen Harriers1–2Nantwich Town46West Midlands Police1–0Stratford Town47Blakenall (7)1–0Hinckley United (7)48Congleton Town (7)5–3Bilston Town (7)49Moor Green (7)6–1Pelsall Villa50Bourne Town1–2Glossop North End51Sutton Coldfield Town (7)2–1Kidsgrove Athletic52Arnold Town3–1Knypersley Victoria53Stamford (7)2–3Buxton54Newcastle Town1–3Chasetown55Paget Rangers (7)1–1Solihull Borough (7) Solihull Borough (7)4–2Paget Rangers (7)56Oldbury United1–6Stourbridge (7)57Bridgnorth Town0–4Hucknall Town (7)58Stafford Rangers (7)1–1Bedworth United (7) Bedworth United (7)1–2Stafford Rangers (7)59Wroxham3–0Stewart & Lloyds Corby60Chalfont St Peter3–3St Neots Town St Neots Town0–3Chalfont St Peter61Beaconsfield SYCOB2–1Concord Rangers62London Colney1–3Braintree Town (7)63Banbury United3–1Harpenden Town64Hertford Town0–0Barkingside Barkingside3–2Hertford Town65Leighton Town1–2Ford Sports Daventry66Canvey Island (7)5–3Histon67Edgware Town2–3Grays Athletic (7)68Northampton Spencer1–4Chelmsford City (7)69Bowers United1–3Halstead Town70Burnham Ramblers2–2Basildon United Basildon United2–0Burnham Ramblers71Marlow1–2Tiptree United72Woodbridge Town4–2Southall73Buckingham Town0–1Wealdstone (7)