Police have confirmed that the gunman is also dead with six injuries being reported after the incident took place in lower Queen Street, near the hotel where the Norway team is staying.

The street has been closed off according to Acting Police Superintendent Sunny Patel.

"Upon reaching the upper levels of the building, the male has contained himself within the elevator shaft and our staff have attempted to engage with him," Patel was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

"Further shots were fired from the male and he was located deceased a short time later."

New Zealand is set to take on Norway in the opening match of the tournament with Norway skipper and Chelsea Football Club defender Maren Mjelde saying everyone seems "calm".

"We felt safe the whole time," she said in a statement, according to AP.

"FIFA has a good security system at the hotel, and we have our own security officer in the squad. 

"Everyone seems calm and we are preparing as normal for the game tonight."

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins thanked the police for their response and called them "heroic", before ensuring that the tournament would go ahead as planned.

According to Hipkins, the shooter had a pump-action shotgun and said there is no identified political or ideological motive behind the attack.

"These kinds of situations move fast and the actions of those who risk their lives to save others are nothing short of heroic," he was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"Clearly with the FIFA World Cup kicking off this evening, there are a lot of eyes on Auckland. 

"The government has spoken to FIFA organizers this morning and the tournament will proceed as planned.

"I want to reiterate that there is no wider national security threat. 

"This appears to be the action of one individual."

New Zealand Football issued a statement on social media expressing their shock and confirming the safety of its team and staff.

"New Zealand Football are shocked by the incident in Auckland CBD this morning," the New Zealand Football statement read.

"We can confirm that all of the Football Ferns team and staff are safe but we will not be able to comment further while details are still emerging."

"Regarding the incident in downtown Auckland, all of our USWNT players and staff are accounted for and safe," said US Soccer's communications department.

"Our security team is in communication with local authorities and we are proceeding with our daily schedule."

In 2019, a terrorist attack in mosques in Christchurch killed 50 people with then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern describing it as "the darkest of days in New Zealand’s history."

Zealand's futsal goalkeeper Atta Elayyan was killed in the massacre four years ago.

The Bangladesh cricket team who were on tour in New Zealand had narrowly escaped, with Mushfiqur Rahim tweeting his team was "extremely lucky".

More follows.