Johannesburg - Hosting the FIFA Confederations Cup will put South Africa on the map and increase its recognition in the international community.
This is according to Charmaine le Roux from Eldorado Park who was at the public viewing area on Sunday to watch South Africa take on Iraq in the Confederations Cup opener.
Big screens have been set up at nine sites around Johannesburg to ensure all residents are able to watch the matches.
Ms le Roux said hosting the Confederations Cup was not about winning, but showing ubuntu to the international community and showing them that we can do it successfully.
"I am not a soccer fanatic, but I am here to support the country and show our visitors that what they have heard about South Africa is not all true. South Africa is a wonderful place to be," she said.
George Nkabinde from Randfontein said he had arrived at the public viewing area since the early hours of the morning to get a good position on the lawns in front of the big screen.
"I wanted to be here early so I could get a better viewing position," he said, adding: "To me its also not about whether Bafana Bafana wins or not. It is about South Africa hosting the biggest soccer tournament in the world successfully."
The excitement at the area reached a pinnacle when Bafana Bafana walked out onto the field, alongside their opponents Iraq.
