Council workers to vacate Aotea Centre ahead of Fifa Women's World Cup draw

Former United States forward Carli Lloyd. Photo / Photosport

Auckland Council staff have been given the option to work from home or other offices today as Fifa takes over the Aotea Centre this weekend for the Women's World Cup draw.

The 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup draw will be held in the centre on Saturday night with security expected to be tight for the globally televised event.

The event will be attended by dignitaries and former stars, such as English and Premier League player Ian Wright and US women's world cup winning player Carli Lloyd.

Auckland Live - a team within Auckland Council's Tātaki Auckland Unlimited organisation - said it was supporting the draw. The office rejig was standard practice with major events of this size to ensure successful operation and delivery.

"Up until yesterday, staff who are ordinarily based at the Aotea Centre had access to their workspace. As an organisation, we are also flexible in terms of where our staff work from," it said in a statement.

"Staff have been advised that on Thursday and Friday, to work either from the Tātaki Auckland Unlimited office on Victoria Street or home, if that was their preference."

Access to the Aotea Centre and surrounding precincts by both staff and the public would be strictly limited this weekend, though a significant number of staff were remaining on-site to work on the event.

Fifa did not reply to a request for comment.

More than 800 guests will be in attendance on Saturday including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the Fifa president and secretary general, Australian Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells and representatives from all of the qualified teams.

Arsenal legend and football pundit Ian Wright. Photo / Getty

The draw is part of the final countdown, as teams discover who and where they will play in their three group stage matches, along with their potential path beyond that.

The 32 teams (including three to be confirmed in the playoff tournament in February in Auckland and Hamilton) will be allocated into eight groups of four.

The Fifa Women's World Cup will begin on July 20, 2023, and continue until August 20.