Two qualifying rounds comprised the first stage of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, the 44th season of Europe's premier club football competition and the seventh since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League. The stage determined which 16 teams joined the eight automatic qualifiers in the group stage. 32 teams entered at the first qualifying round, with a further 16 teams receiving a bye to the second qualifying round. Among the teams in the first qualifying round was Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv, who went on to reach the semi-finals of the competition proper, while both finalists – Manchester United of England and Bayern Munich of Germany – entered the competition in the second qualifying round, having finished as runners-up in their domestic leagues the previous season.
First qualifying round
Seeding
32 champions from associations ranked 16–48 started in First qualifying round. Champions of nations ranked 16–31 were seeded, while champions of nations ranked 32 and below were unseeded. The draw was performed on 6 July 1998 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Matches
First leg
Match finished 1–0 after normal time, but later awarded 3–0 by default. ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Second leg
Beitar Jerusalem won 5–1 on aggregate. ---- ŁKS Łódź won 7–2 on aggregate. ---- HJK won 5–0 on aggregate. ---- Steaua București won 5–4 on aggregate. ---- Dinamo Tbilisi won 4–3 on aggregate. ---- Skonto won 2–1 on aggregate. ---- Maribor won 4–0 on aggregate. ---- Košice won 13–1 on aggregate. ---- FK Obilić won 4–1 on aggregate. ---- Litex Lovech won 3–2 on aggregate. ---- Anorthosis won 8–0 on aggregate. ---- Újpest won 3–2 on aggregate. ---- Grasshopper won 8–0 on aggregate. ---- Dynamo Kyiv won 10–1 on aggregate. ---- Club Brugge won 2–1 on aggregate. ---- Celtic won 2–0 on aggregate.
Second qualifying round
Seeding
16 clubs started in this round and were seeded. 16 winners of the First qualifying round were unseeded. Losing teams in the second qualifying round qualified for the first round of the 1998–99 UEFA Cup. The draw was performed on 6 July 1998 in Geneva, Switzerland, immediately after First qualifying round draw. ;Notes
Spartak Moscow won 11–2 on aggregate. ---- Benfica won 8–4 on aggregate. ---- Galatasaray won 5–3 on aggregate. ---- PSV Eindhoven won 5–3 on aggregate. ---- Internazionale won 7–1 on aggregate. ---- Olympiacos won 6–3 on aggregate. ---- HJK won 2–1 on aggregate. ---- Panathinaikos won 8–5 on aggregate. ---- Brøndby won 2–1 on aggregate. ---- Rosenborg 4–4 Club Brugge on aggregate. Rosenborg won on away goals. ---- Dynamo Kyiv 1–1 Sparta Prague on aggregate. Dynamo Kyiv won 3–1 on penalties. ---- Croatia Zagreb won 3–1 on aggregate. ---- Dinamo Tbilisi 2–2 Athletic Bilbao on aggregate. Athletic Bilbao won on away goals. ---- Bayern Munich won 5–1 on aggregate. ---- Sturm Graz won 7–2 on aggregate. ---- Manchester United won 2–0 on aggregate.
