Pop star Shakira has kicked off the biggest-ever World Cup in Mexico, followed by the blockbuster opening match with a shocker of a first goal that made the crowd erupt.

A renovated Mexico City Stadium staged the party for the expanded tournament, which is being co-hosted with the United States and Canada.

The Mexican soccer team got the crowd roaring by scoring the tournament’s first goal at only the ninth minute of the first match against South Africa.

The opening ceremony had an Aztec theme. Photo: AAP

South Africa’s keeper Ronwen Williams passed the ball to midfielder Yaya Sithole who lost possession and let it fall to Mexico’s Julián Quiñones.

Quiñones did not waste the opportunity and sent the ball shooting between Williams’ legs in the ultimate humiliation and what ABC sports reporter David Mark said was a “horrible” goal against South Africa.

Mexico went on to win the match 2-0.

After a series of flops when it comes to World Cup songs over the last three men’s tournaments, football’s governing body FIFA went back to Colombian Shakira for this year’s edition after her 2010 song Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) went viral.

This year’s song Dai Dai — written alongside Nigerian recording artist Burna Boy — was performed in front of a packed Azteca, which is the first arena on the globe to host three men’s World Cups.

“Dai, Dai” means “Let’s go” in Italian — presumably written before Italy failed to qualify.

Several Latin American singers also performed ahead of the first ever football World Cup held in three countries, while the ceremony started with dancers in indigenous dress.

The iconic finals in 1970 and 1986 were held at the Azteca and featured late football greats Pelé and Diego Maradona respectively.

But the early singing and dancing was just part of the ceremony, which was held in two sections.

The second part was opened by Mexican actress Salma Hayek, who later handed the World Cup to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Actress Salma Hayek performs during the opening ceremony. Photo: AAP

A parade of flags of all the 48 nations, including debutants Jordan, Uzbekistan, Curaçao and Cape Verde, followed. The three host flags came out together, meaning there were cheers instead of possible jeers for the US flag, given geopolitical issues also involving Mexico.

Then it was time for more music, including from Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli.

Fireworks go off before the start of the World Cup Group A match. Photo: AAP

The last World Cup opening ceremony in North America in 1994 included Diana Ross infamously missing a penalty. There were no such mishaps here although it appeared to start late.

Separate ceremonies will take place on Friday at the first matches in Canada (Toronto) and the US (Inglewood in Los Angeles County). Canadian singers Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette are set to perform at the first and US pop star Katy Perry at the second.

-with AAP