<P> Women's association football, also commonly known as women's football, or women's soccer, is the most prominent team sport played by women around the globe . It is played at the professional level in numerous countries throughout the world and 176 national teams participate internationally . </P> <P> The history of women's football has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels . Women's football has faced many struggles throughout its history . Although its first golden age occurred in the United Kingdom in the early 1920s, when one match achieved over 50,000 spectators, The Football Association initiated a ban in 1921 that disallowed women's football games from the grounds used by its member clubs . The ban stayed in effect until July 1971 . </P> <P> Women may have been playing "football" for as long as the game has existed . Evidence shows that an ancient version of the game (Tsu Chu) was played by women during the Han Dynasty (25--220 CE). Two female figures are depicted in Han Dynasty (25--220 CE) frescoes, playing Tsu Chu . There are, however, a number of opinions about the accuracy of dates, the earliest estimates at 5000 BCE . Reports of an annual match being played in Scotland are reported as early as the 1790s . The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895 . </P> <P> Association football, the modern game, also has documented early involvement of women . In Europe, it is possible that 12th - century French women played football as part of that era's folk games . An annual competition in Mid-Lothian, Scotland during the 1790s is reported, too . In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardized rules to prohibit violence on the pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play . </P>

When was the first women's soccer game played
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