London, Apr. 2  France''s First Lady Carla Bruni has been asked by Nelson Mandela to sing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in South Africa.

Mandela wants the former supermodel turned singer to kick off the tournament by performing live in a packed stadium in front of millions of TV viewers worldwide.

According to a Sky News report, the 40-year-old met Mandela on a state visit to South Africa with her husband President Nicholas Sarkozy last year, but is yet to respond to his request.

An Africa Intelligence news website said: "According to our information, Carla Bruni has been asked by Nelson Mandela to sing at the opening of the World Cup. The former president is still waiting for an answer."

Bruni has been taking an increasing interest in Africa in recent months. She is working alongside French human rights minister Rama Yade for a charity campaigning for an end to sexual violence by armed gangs in the Congo. (ANI)