<P> The boom in rail transport in Britain during the 1840s meant that people were able to travel further and with less inconvenience than they ever had before . Inter-school sporting competitions became possible . However, it was difficult for schools to play each other at football, as each school played by its own rules . The solution to this problem was usually that the match be divided into two halves, one half played by the rules of the host "home" school, and the other half by the visiting "away" school . </P> <P> The modern rules of many football codes were formulated during the mid - or late - 19th century . This also applies to other sports such as lawn bowls, lawn tennis, etc . The major impetus for this was the patenting of the world's first lawnmower in 1830 . This allowed for the preparation of modern ovals, playing fields, pitches, grass courts, etc . </P> <P> Apart from Rugby football, the public school codes have barely been played beyond the confines of each school's playing fields . However, many of them are still played at the schools which created them (see Surviving UK school games below). </P> <P> Public schools' dominance of sports in the UK began to wane after the Factory Act of 1850, which significantly increased the recreation time available to working class children . Before 1850, many British children had to work six days a week, for more than twelve hours a day . From 1850, they could not work before 6 a.m. (7 a.m. in winter) or after 6 p.m. on weekdays (7 p.m. in winter); on Saturdays they had to cease work at 2 p.m. These changes mean that working class children had more time for games, including various forms of football . </P>

Who was the first country to play soccer