British Clubs, Cricket and Community in Buenos Aires

A British community with 200 years of history

Most people don't realise how substantial the British presence in Argentina has been. British engineers built much of Argentina's railway network in the 19th century. British merchants established trading houses in Buenos Aires from the 1820s. The community that grew from this has cricket clubs, schools, churches and social institutions that have been running — continuously — for nearly two centuries.

This isn't nostalgia tourism. These are active, living institutions with real memberships and genuine social life. If you're moving to Buenos Aires as a British expat, they represent one of the most straightforward routes into a community of people who understand the experience you're going through.

Hurlingham Club

The Hurlingham Club in Hurlingham (a suburb of Buenos Aires) is arguably the most famous British institution in South America. Founded in 1888, it has polo grounds, cricket pitches, tennis courts, a golf course, a swimming pool and extensive social facilities.

Membership is not cheap and there's a waiting list for full membership, but the Club is genuinely active and genuinely British in character. Annual events like the polo season and cricket fixtures draw members and guests. If you have any interest in polo or cricket at a serious level, this is where the Anglo-Argentine sporting world concentrates.

It's worth noting that Hurlingham Club has a dual nature — many members are Argentine, not British. This is actually one of its charms: it's a place where British and Argentine cultures genuinely mix at a social level.

Buenos Aires Cricket and Rugby Club (BACRG)

The BACRG has been running since 1864 — making it one of the oldest cricket clubs in the Americas. It plays in the Buenos Aires Cricket League (which has been operating since 1891) and welcomes newcomers, including those at a social rather than competitive level.

Finding the club: BACRG plays at various grounds in the northern suburbs. Their social media and website have current fixture lists and contact details for new members. Showing up to a match and introducing yourself is entirely appropriate.

The Buenos Aires Cricket League season runs during the Argentine summer (October-March), which corresponds to UK winter — an unexpected pleasure for British expats.

St Andrew's Scots School and British schools

For British families with children, the British-curriculum schools are an important part of the community. St Andrew's Scots School (Belgrano) and St George's College (Quilmes) are the most established.

Both schools offer bilingual education with British-influenced curriculum. Both have been running for well over 100 years and are well-integrated into the Anglo-Argentine community. They're also popular with Argentine families seeking international education, which gives them a mixed rather than exclusively British intake.

Fees are significant — several thousand USD per year — but moderate by UK private school standards. For more information on schooling options generally, read our article on schools and education for British families in Buenos Aires.

St John's Anglican Cathedral and the British churches

The Anglican and Presbyterian communities in Buenos Aires have churches with English-language services that have been running since the 1830s. St John's Pro-Cathedral (Downtown Buenos Aires) holds regular English-language services and is a genuine community hub for English-speaking Protestants.

Even if you're not religious, these institutions often serve as a social network and can be a welcoming first point of contact. Church communities tend to be practical and genuinely helpful to newcomers.

Finding the wider community

Beyond the formal institutions, the British expat community in Buenos Aires is active on:

• British Expats Buenos Aires Facebook group — practical advice and social connections
• Internations Buenos Aires — broader expat network with regular events
• British Consulate events — the UK Embassy occasionally hosts community events, particularly around Remembrance Day and significant national occasions

For more on finding your social feet in Buenos Aires generally, read our article on meeting people and building a social life in Buenos Aires.

Worth reading next

• Meeting people and building a social life in Buenos Aires
• Schools and education for British families in Buenos Aires
• Which Buenos Aires neighbourhood is right for you?