Professional soccer is introduced in SA when the National Football League is founded

In 1958, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) officially recognised the White body of the Football Association of South Africa (FASA) as the sole governing body of soccer in South Africa. One year later, professional soccer was introduced to South Africa when, on 11 May 1959, the National Football League (NFL) was formed. The league was founded by twelve football clubs from Johannesburg and Pretoria, none of which exist today. Ted Wallace was elected as secretary of the organisation. Two years later, FASA did include some Black players within their structure. Later, when FIFA suspended South Africa in 1962, the governing body sanctioned a landmark inter-racial match, which was played between the White Germiston Callies and the Black African Pirates before 10 000 people in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. In the first completed NFL season, more than 500,000 spectators watched the 210 league and cup matches, and huge crowds continued well in the 1970s. In 1971, the National Professional Soccer League came into existence with Orlando Pirates crowned as the first national champions. Today, the professional league has changed its name to the Premier Soccer League (PSL), with a few clubs that played in the first league in 1971. The South African Football Association (SAFA) was eventually founded on 8 December 1991. This was the culmination of a long unity process that was to rid South Africa sport of all past racial division. References: Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds) (1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 10. "History of South African soccer" [online] Available at: news24.com [Accessed 4 May 2009] "2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa, the history" [online] Available at: fifa.com [Accessed 4 May 2009]