| Host city |  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15–18 October |
| Main venue | Ginásio do Maracanãzinho |
The 1998 World Karate Championships are the 14th edition of the World Karate Championships, and were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from October 15 to October 18, 1998.
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual kata | Ryoki Abe Japan
|
Michaël Milon France
|
Javier Hernández Spain
|
| Team kata | Japan
|
 Italy
|
France Yves Bardreau Stéphane Mari Laurent Riccio |
| Kumite −60 kg | David Luque Spain
|
Joël Barst France
|
Hakan Yağlı Turkey
|
| Francesco Ortu Italy
| |||
| Kumite −65 kg | Alexandre Biamonti France
|
Jean Carlos Peña Venezuela
|
Célio René Vieira Brazil
|
| José Puertas Spain
| |||
| Kumite −70 kg | Haldun Alagaş Turkey
|
Samad Azadi Germany
|
Junior Lefevre Belgium
|
| Shisua Shiina Japan
| |||
| Kumite −75 kg | David Félix France
|
Antônio Carlos Pinto Brazil
|
Allan Busk Denmark
|
| Gennaro Talarico Italy
| |||
| Kumite −80 kg | Gilles Cherdieu France
|
Ali Shaterzadeh Iran
|
Zeynel Çelik Turkey
|
Wayne Otto England
| |||
| Kumite +80 kg | Marc Haubold Germany
|
Yasumasa Shimizu Japan
|
Óscar Olivares Spain
|
| Davide Benetello Italy
| |||
| Kumite open | Konstantinos Papadopoulos Greece
|
Marcos Fernández Spain
|
Alireza Katiraei Iran
|
| Leon Walters England
| |||
| Team kumite | France
|
England
|
Spain Marcos Fernández Fernando García Tomás Herrero César Martínez Jesús Montosa Óscar Olivares Óscar Vázquez |
| Germany
|
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual kata | Atsuko Wakai Japan
|
Myriam Szkudlarek France
|
Roberta Sodero Italy
|
| Team kata | Japan
|
 United States
|
Spain Susana Bueno Miriam Cogolludo Gema Méndez |
| Kumite −53 kg | Hiromi Hasama Japan
|
Sari Laine Finland
|
Nicole Jacobs Germany
|
| Nadia Mecheri France
| |||
| Kumite −60 kg | Julliet Toney England
|
Nathalie Leroy France
|
Alexandra Witteborn Germany
|
| Marianne Tarva Finland
| |||
| Kumite +60 kg | Laurence Fischer France
|
Lourene Bevaart Australia
|
Izumi Nabeki Japan
|
| Judith Nagel Germany
| |||
| Kumite open | Maria Cecília de Almeida Brazil
|
Petra Piskačová Czech Republic
|
Tania Weekes England
|
| Yıldız Aras Turkey
| |||
| Team kumite | Turkey Yıldız Aras Nurhan Fırat Leyla Gedik Meral Ölmez |
England
|
 Croatia
|
| Spain Gloria Casanova Rosa Ortega Beatriz Pérez |
* Host nation (Brazil)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 |
| 2 | Japan | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | Turkey | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | England | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | Spain | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 6 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 7 | Brazil* | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Greece | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 10 | Finland | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Iran | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 12 | Australia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Czech Republic | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| United States | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Venezuela | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 16 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Croatia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Denmark | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (18 entries) | 17 | 17 | 30 | 64 | |