Choose your sport
From football to polo, marathons to motor racing, you can enjoy all sorts of sports in BA!

From football to polo, marathons to rowing, you can enjoy all sorts of sports in BA, as participant or spectator.

Football (soccer): the passion of the masses

If we're talking about a ball in Buenos Aires, it's surely about soccer. Footbal is major passion in Argentina and the Buenos Aires metropolitan area is host to most of the country's first division teams, and has the largest number of stadiums of any city in the world. Many stadiums host museums on club history. You're also likely to see informal matches in parks and squares and amateur leagues on five-a-side pitches. Football is the sport for all, from kids to parents and people with disabilities. See here for more on Buenos Aires' passion for football.

Polo and horse racing

Polo

The Campo Argentino de Polo (Av. de Liberator and Av. Dorrego, Palermo) is a huge complex in Palermo known as the "cathedral of polo". It hosts the famous Campeonato Argentino Abierto de Polo or Argentine Open, the most important club championship of the season, held every spring (November to December). In contrast to the city’s professional football matches, polo is a rather more sedate and civilised affair for spectators! Information on the competition and how to buy tickets can be found on the website of the Asociación Argentina de Polo. Be sure to look out for Argentina’s star player, Adolfo Cambiaso Jr, the Maradona of the polo circuit, who plays for the celebrated club La Dolfina. The city's horse racing track is located nearby and hosts several important race meets.

Golf

There are several good golf courses close to the city. The city government's Campo de Golf de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires located in the city itself at Av. Tornquist 6397 (Belgrano) is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 7.30am to 5pm. Also nearby is the 18-hole San Andrés Golf Course, the oldest course in Argentina, designed by Scottish professional golfer Mungo Park in 1892, and the 36-hole Jockey Club golf course, which has hosted major international competitions. Another option is The Buenos Aires Golf Club, 30km from the city. This newer club has 27 holes and nine lakes.

Watersports

The city offers many opportunities to practice watersports. There are opportunities for sailing, rowing, kayaking, and canoeing at Puerto Madero harbour, at San Fernando, and on the river delta at Tigre, while kitesurfing and windsurfing are popular at Peru Beach in Acassuso, a short train ride north of the city.

Cycling

With over 130 km of bicycle lanes and a free public bicycle sharing system (Eco-bici), cycling is a great way both to explore the city and keep fit. Many tour agencies rent out bikes as well.

Running

BA’s relatively flat terrain, green parks and sunny weather make it a popular choice for runners. If you fancy a run one morning, head to the Parque Tres de Febrero (also known as the Palermo Woods) where there are a number of circuits you can take. Competitions are also big in BA. The Buenos Aires Marathon is one of the largest in Latin America and takes place every October. Its sister Half Marathon takes place in September. Information on both events can be found here. Other half marathons, 10K and 5K runs are also organized regularly throughout the year. Visit the Guía Maratón website for more information.

Extreme & urban sports

Buenos Aires has a 7.5-hectare BMX and skatepark along the Coastal Costanera Sur (Parque San Tropez, Av. Obligado Rafael Costanera, corner with La Pampa, Belgrano). The park is open in summer from Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am to 7pm. Buenos Aires Extremo (BAX) is an annual extreme and urban sports contest for amateurs and professionals. Climbing is also popular with several climbing and bouldering walls opening in the city. More information on other skateparks in BA is downloadable below.

Tennis

Tennis is another popular sport in Buenos Aires. The ATP Argentina Open is held at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, usually in February. If you’re interested in playing tennis while in the city, there are a number of private clubs in Palermo and Belgrano that offer slightly higher rates for non-members. Alternatively, you can play at one of the City-run sports clubs (‘polideportivos’), such as the Manuel Belgrano ex-KDT (Salguero 3450, Palermo) which is open daily from 8am. For on-the-day reservations, call 4807 7918.

Rugby

While football is the dominant porteño passion, rugby is especially big in the greater Metropolitan area. The national team, known as the Pumas, competes in the annual Rugby Championship (formerly the Tri-Nations, against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) from August to September, while the national rugby season runs from March to November. The main clubs around the Buenos Aires area are San Isidro Club (SIC), Club Universitario de Buenos Aires (CUBA) and Hindu Club.