history of the filial

Our story begins in 2018, when Santiago Luis posted a message in the "Argentinos en Londres" (Argentines in London) Facebook group on September 13. In it, he expressed his strong desire to establish a River Plate supporters' branch in London and asked if there were other members and fans who would like to join the project. The post drew responses from several Argentine River fans who shared that same enthusiasm and excitement.

Although some attempts did not come to fruition, Santiago later contacted the club to find out the necessary requirements. The process proved complex and difficult to manage alongside his other responsibilities. Nevertheless, that initiative left behind something fundamental: it revealed that there were River fans in London eager to meet up, watch matches together, and build a community. That was the first step of an idea that would continue to grow over time.

In June 2021, Argentine fans began gathering at various locations across London to watch the 2021 Copa América matches together. During the early stages of the tournament, a group of Argentines met up to watch a group-stage match. It was there that Nadia Cocconi and Nahuel—both River Plate fans—met and came up with the idea of ​​forming a River supporters' branch in London. Together, they went around asking the Argentines present which club they supported, one by one, until they had found all the River fans. From there, they created the branch's WhatsApp group, which we still use to this day. Nadia also began posting about the project in the "Argentines in London" group, allowing more River fans to learn about the initiative and join the community.

A distinct group of River Plate fans, linked to the Instagram account @river_plate_londres, began posting content on January 16, 2023. On March 1, 2023, several of these fans met in London for the first time. Among them were Agustín, Andrés, Juan, and Patricio Orozco, who began getting to know one another and forging the group's initial bonds.

After several meetings, in May 2023, Patricio Orozco and Alejandro Bricola began working on the idea of ​​officially establishing a River Plate branch in London. Although some initial steps were taken and various gatherings were organized, the group appeared to lose momentum over time, and the project stalled temporarily.

In May 2026, after three years of inactivity, Alex—a River fan based in London who wanted to revive the movement—created new Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok accounts (all under the handle @river_londres). He also organized a gathering to watch the *Superclásico* at The Volley (Old Street) with other River Plate fans in London, promoting the event via group chats and Instagram Stories. This was the moment the group really took off. They met again that same month to watch the final against Belgrano—a match that ended 3–2 and which River, unfortunately, lost—this time with an attendance of around twenty people.

Today, the Instagram account has nearly a thousand followers, and across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, the group has garnered tens of thousands of likes. Social media allows us to share photos, videos, and memories of our meetups, while the River Plate London community continues to grow and connect River fans throughout the UK.

The group now meets regularly to watch matches together, and the WhatsApp group is active every day. There, we chat about our opinions, upcoming gatherings, River news, and—above all—what we are most passionate about: our love for the club. What began as a small group of fans in London has evolved into a community and a true *Riverplatense* family far from the Monumental.