At least three people, including the gunman, died and six others were wounded in a shooting in New Zealand's largest city of Auckland on Thursday, hours ahead of the opening match of the Women's soccer World Cup in the city. 

New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the soccer tournament would proceed as planned, adding the shooting appeared to be the actions of an individual and that police were not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.

"There was no identified political or ideological motivation for the shooting and therefore no national security risk," Hipkins said during a televised media briefing.

The wounded, who have been taken to the Auckland Hospital, included a member of the police, Hipkins said.

Thursday marked the beginning of the month-long FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, which is being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.

A number of national soccer teams are in Auckland, including the United States squad, which said all its players and staff were accounted for and safe.

Norway's team hotel was close to where the shooting unfolded. The team said they were unharmed and "everything is calm in the squad."

The New Zealand women's national football team will face Norway at the opening match at Auckland's Eden Park later on Thursday.

Police reassured match-goers and the wider public that they could now travel to the city center, while avoiding the area immediately around the crime scene.

Gun violence is rare in New Zealand, which tightened its gun laws after a gunman killed 51 Muslim worshipers in Christchurch in 2019 in the country's worst peace-time mass shooting.

The government has banned all military style semi-automatics and other deadly guns.

(With input from agencies)