As the nation’s media deploys to a big blue shed in Sylvia Park, join us for every frenzied update. 

Our Ikea-geddon live updates have now concluded. Relive every moment below. 

For over six years, the country has held its breath waiting for the arrival of Swedish furniture giant Ikea. With its succulent meatballs and reasonably priced flatpack furniture, the 34,000-square-metre, three-storey-high store finally opens today at Sylvia Park in Auckland. Experts are predicting some 20,000 people will pop in, leading to 40-minute delays for commuters around Mt Wellington, and apparently another 40 minutes to find a carpark.

Braving the throng of punters filling their Frakta bags to the brim will be representatives from the nation’s media, bringing you everything you need to know about the biggest international arrival to Aotearoa since Brad Pitt went through a McDonald’s drive-thru in Kūmeu. Will a Breakfast reporter end up embroiled with a Blåsverk lamp? Will journalists be stuck liveblogging from the motorway? And who will be first to get the scoop on the meatballs?

We’ll be here to liveblog Ikea-geddon, every step of the way.