A surprisingly high number of people turned out to watch South Africa host Sweden in a women's international friendly on Sunday, with a conservative estimate of some 12,000 in the Cape Town Stadium.
It is, by all accounts, the largest crowd for a Banyana Banyana game in South Africa, though it should be noted that entrance to the match was free to the public.
But still, that so many people gave up their Sunday afternoon to watch a game live that was also on television, and which came just 24 hours after a similar number of people had come to the stadium to view the local Premier Soccer League derby between Cape Town City and Ajax Cape Town, is telling.
It suggests that women's football is growing in interest and popularity in South Africa, mirroring the same scenario around the world.
Sweden are ranked at 10 by FIFA and a very accomplished side, who ended up winning the game 3-0.
They were given a few almighty scares though, especially in the first half, as South Africa's pace and technical ability saw them create three clear-cut chances that were wasted. That will be a familiar scenario for fans of the men's national team too.
Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson was generous in his praise for the side afterwards. This was his third game in charge of Sweden and he said none of his previous three opponents, Croatia, Hungary or France, had managed to carve his side open so easily.
But in the end the Swede's greater quality showed and the victory was a deserved one.
More physically imposing than the quicker, but considerably smaller, South Africans, they were tactically more organised and able to bully their opponents off the ball.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the teams though was that the Swede's are full-time professionals, playing at top clubs across Europe, while in South Africa the sport is still amateur. Only captain Janine van Wyk is a full-time professional with Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League in the United States, but for the rest they have had to develop their skills as part-timers.
And given that knowledge, their progress to successive Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016 and the fact that they have performed admirably against global powers such as USA, France, Netherlands and Sweden in recent times, is all the more remarkable. What it also shows is the rich potential within the country -- just imagine if there was a fully professional league, with quality coaching and training. What would be achievable for the country?
Common sense says they would be able to elevate their level considerably.
But the problem is that corporates, on the whole, prefer to put their money into the men's game, where it is considered the best returns on investment are. SASOL have done an admirable job of supporting the game in the country, and should be congratulated for such, but they have ploughed something of a lone furrow.
The country will never realise the potential it has until there are more who are willing to back the game and the fact that they don't, to me, is short-sighted.
After all, women make up around 50 percent of the population, the target market for corporates is considerable.
SAFA have recently approved the creation of a national women's league that will contain the nine provinces and teams from Mamelodi Sundowns, Bloemfontein Celtic and University Sports South Africa (USSA).
It is backed by La Liga and could be expanded to 16 teams in the future, but while it remains a plan on paper only, it is of little benefit. Seeing is also believing when it comes to SAFA.
What was heartening to hear is that Joe Public is becoming more emotionally invested in Banyana Banyana, as evidenced by their stay in Cape Town this week, where Van Wyk revealed they had been awestruck by the public response.
"In the streets people hoot at us, people want to greet us, they want to take photos and selfies," she said. "It makes you feel like a professional footballer and you don't get seen as just another girl wanting to play a male-dominated sport.
"It's good that it is getting to the stage where people are actually taking women's football seriously in our country. That's amazing."