Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli sings at World Cup concert

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli led a cast of local and international stars at the closing concert of the World Cup on Friday.

Thousands flocked to the Dome in northern Johannesburg for what organizers billed as "the grand finale" of Africa's first football World Cup.

According to Sports24, Bocelli was joined on stage by soprano Pretty Yende to sing some of the numbers from the Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini operas, backed by Johannesburg's festival orchestra and Gauteng choristers.

The blind tenor was to be joined later on stage by Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams.

The Mzansi Youth Choir opened the concert, which also aims to raise awareness about the risk of malaria, which kills a child every 30 seconds.

The World Cup ends on Sunday, when Spain meets Netherlands in the final at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

The Dome in Johannesburg was packed to capacity to hear Bocelli sing duets with SA soprano Pretty Yende.

Bocelli, who had sold more than 70 million records, was performing for the first time in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Colombian singer Shakira has announced that she will be performing during the final of the tournament on Sunday.