Women's football has been played in England for over a century, sharing a common history with the men's game as the country in which the Laws of the Game were codified. Women's football was originally very popular in the early 20th century, but after being banned by the men's Football Association, its popularity declined. It took until the 1990s for the number of female players and spectators to increase, culminating in England hosting the Women's European Championships in 2005.