Automatically qualified

Dallas Burn (1997 Open Cup winner), Chicago Fire,

Columbus Crew, Kansas City Wizards, MetroStars,

San Jose Clash, Tampa Bay Mutiny

Chicago, Columbus, D.C. United and San Jose were originally chosen by

blind draw for automatic qualification, leaving Colorado, Kansas City,

 MetroStars, Los Angeles, Miami, and Tampa Bay to play qualifying games

(regular season MLS games doubled as qualifiers). However, New England

declined entry, and D.C. United and Los Angeles withdrew due to their entry

in the 1998 Copa Merconorte. This left Colorado and Miami to determine

 the final MLS entrant.