Women’s World Cup teams react to shooting in Auckland on the eve of the tournament

National soccer teams have begun issuing reports on the safety of players and staff, following a shooting in Auckland just hours before the start of the Women’s World Cup.

Ahead of the opening match between host New Zealand and opponent Norway in Auckland, a gunman was found dead after killing two people and injuring many others in the city on Thursday (July 20).

The shooting took place at a construction site in the Auckland city centre.

New Zealand Football issued a statement on social media, writing: “New Zealand Football is shocked by the incident in Auckland CBD this morning. We can confirm that all Football Ferns team and staff are safe, but we will not be able to comment further while details still emerge.

“Consult the New Zealand Police for more information. Preparations for tonight’s match at Eden Park will continue as planned.”

Meanwhile, reigning world champions USA released the following statement: “Regarding the incident in downtown Auckland, all of our USWNT members [US Women’s National Team] players and staff are accounted for and safe. Our security team is in communication with local authorities and we are proceeding with our daily schedule.”

This is breaking news and will be updated with new information..