General manager Dean Russell implored the 10,000-plus people expected to flood into Port Macquarie over the weekend to be patient with 238 teams to compete at a waterlogged Tuffins Lane sporting precinct.

"Patience is the message," Mr Russell said.

"It's not going to be pretty; the spectator areas are not going to be pleasant and we understand that can lead to frustrations."

Mr Russell said it had been one of the more difficult events they had prepared for in recent years.

"We're thankful that 98 percent of our community have been behind the decision to make sure the event goes ahead," he said.

"A touch tragic from Manly said that mud washes off and it's true."

Officials haven't had to deal with a wet event for almost five years and further rain during this week has made setting up a logistical nightmare.

"We've had weather in the past with rain, but that's normally impacted us at the event, not necessarily in the lead-up to," Mr Russell said.

"It's been the changing nature of the week; earlier in the week we had massive rain, then the tides impacted on the venue and then they subsided."

An unplanned deluge on Wednesday night dumped more than 80 millimetres at the airport and added to the headaches.

"It wasn't forecast to be as heavy as it was, so that's hurt us with the outside fields as well," Mr Russell said.

With even more rain forecast to fall on Thursday night and Friday morning, even more last-minute changes could be made.

It remained a possibility that the event could be shortened to a two-day event, although Mr Russell said that was the worst-case scenario.

"We want to start on Friday, that's our goal," he said.

"But we'll see what adjustments we might need to make with the fields and how we can get through it the best way.

"The message we're preaching is patience."

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council mayor Peta Pinson said they were excited to again be hosting the event.

"This event contributes a huge economic boost of more than $9.4 million to our local economy and also supports our own thriving touch football community," she said.

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