"The legacy of the World Cup has been proven by the standard of the league games we've seen this season," said Kjetil Siem, the former Norwegian television executive who has run South Africa's professional league for the last four years.
"There can be no doubt we now have one of the best developing leagues in the world. We are now in the top 15 of the world for sure."
In the build-up to last year's finals, many people questioned the country's ability to stage such a high-profile tournament amid concerns about whether stadiums would be ready on time after strikes among construction workers.
Carlos Alberto Parreira's successor as South Africa coach, Pitso Mosimane, has sought to continue the experienced Brazilian's work by keeping most of his team in place.
"Perhaps I don't have the same pressures as being the coach of a host nation at a World Cup but as local coach I've got my own responsibilities now that I have the Bafana Bafana job," Mosimane told Reuters in an interview.
"Like him, I want to play like the world plays, like modern football is played. But I've put my own innovations into the team too."
"It is an extremely tough league with a lot of good players and some very well organised teams," Orlando Pirates Dutch coach Ruud Krol said after guiding his side a league and cup double.
