Aussie life in Amsterdam: footy, cricket and mates

Amsterdam doesn't have a Little Australia. What it does have is a footy club, one of Europe's best-known cricket grounds, and plenty of Aussies who've worked out where the good coffee is.

The short version

Australian rules football has been played in the Netherlands for years, and the Amsterdam Devils have been one of the stronger clubs in the Dutch competition [1][2].
VRA, the oldest cricket club in Amsterdam, plays in the Amsterdamse Bos and welcomes international players [3][4].
The Australian Embassy is in The Hague, runs commemorations such as Remembrance Day, and publishes community information for Australians in the Netherlands [5].
Vegemite, Tim Tams and meat pies take some hunting. Most Aussies rely on international shops, online orders and suitcases from home.
The quickest way in is through other Australians who've already done the hard yards. Our step list below shows where to start.

Footy in the land of bikes

You might not expect a Sherrin in a country this flat, but Australian rules football has been part of Dutch sporting life for a while.

The Dutch competition

As far back as 2010, the Dutch Australian Football Association planned a full season with teams in Amsterdam, Den Haag, Eindhoven and Utrecht [2]. By 2020, an AFL Europe report described an organised AFL Netherlands competition, with a new club, the Waterland Eagles, based in Purmerend, about 16 km north of Amsterdam [1]. That same report said the Amsterdam Devils had beaten the Eagles in a grand final and were then the reigning European champions [1].

Club line-ups, training grounds and seasons change, and our most detailed sources are a few years old. Search for the clubs' current social media pages before you turn up, and ask when new players are welcome.

Why it's worth showing up

You don't need to have played since under-12s. European footy clubs lean heavily on expats, Dutch locals curious about the game and people who just want a run and a beer afterwards. They also tend to organise grand final screenings, end-of-season trips and the odd barbecue, which is half the point.

Cricket: better than you'd think

The Netherlands is a genuine cricket country, and Amsterdam has some serious history.

Club or venue	Where	Why Australians go
VRA Amsterdam	Amsterdamse Bos, Amstelveen [3][4]	Oldest cricket club in Amsterdam, men's, women's, youth and company teams, many international members [3]
VRA Cricket Ground	Next to the Wagener Stadium in the Amsterdamse Bos [4]	Has hosted a 1999 Cricket World Cup match and a 2004 tri-series featuring Australia, India and Pakistan [4]
Recreational cricket	Saturday competitions [3]	A lower-pressure way back into the game

VRA dates back to 1914, when three Amsterdam clubs merged [4]. The ground holds 14,500 people and hosted the Netherlands' first one-day international in 2006 [4]. If you can bowl, keep wicket, umpire or score, you'll be welcome somewhere. Ask about membership directly through the club [3].

Australian food: the Vegemite question

Let's be honest. Amsterdam is not a great place to be a meat-pie snob.

Vegemite and Tim Tams. Look in international and British-style shops, large supermarkets' world-food shelves and online stores that ship within the EU. Prices are well above home.
Coffee. The specialty coffee scene has grown a lot, and a decent flat white is no longer hard to find in De Pijp, Oud-West or Oost.
Barbecue culture. Dutch summer evenings are long. Parks and balconies fill with portable barbecues, though rules on where you can grill vary, so check signs in each park.
Brunch. Aussie-style brunch has caught on across Europe, and Amsterdam has its share of smashed avo.

Most Australians end up with a "bring back from home" list: Vegemite, Shapes, Milo, a decent bottle of Barossa shiraz and a jar of Bonox if you're feeling nostalgic.

Embassy, remembrance and keeping your Aussie ties

The embassy in The Hague

There's no Australian consulate in Amsterdam. The Australian Embassy at Carnegielaan 4 in The Hague handles passports, notarial services such as apostilles and witnessing signatures, and consular help [5]. It also has pages on connecting with Australians in the Netherlands and on voting in Australian elections from abroad [5].

Remembrance and commemorations

The embassy holds a Remembrance Day service. In 2026 it's on Sunday 8 November at 11:45am at the Commonwealth War Graves Section of Westduin Cemetery in The Hague, followed by a short service at the Stijkel Group graves [5]. The embassy's events page is the best place to check for Anzac Day and other commemorations each year.

Staying safe while you socialise

Smartraveller warns that pickpocketing is common in Amsterdam, especially on trams and trains, around Schiphol and at ATMs near nightclubs and bars [6]. Keep your phone in a front pocket on big nights out.

How to build your Amsterdam crew: step by step

Join Cooee Netherlands. Our Facebook group for Australians in the Netherlands is where people post meetups, grand final screenings, flat leads and "anyone flying home with spare suitcase space?" requests.
Find the footy. Check the Dutch clubs' current pages and go to a training session, even if you only plan to run water.
Get to VRA. Watch a weekend match in the Amsterdamse Bos, then ask about joining a team [3].
Follow the embassy. It posts commemorations, events and election information on its website and social media [5].
Say yes to Dutch invitations. Borrels (after-work drinks), birthday circles and sports clubs are how locals socialise. Dutch directness takes a minute to get used to, then becomes refreshing.
Learn some Dutch. Everyone speaks English, but even basic Dutch earns you a lot of goodwill and a lot more invitations.

Little things that make it feel like home

Sunday sport on a laptop. AFL and NRL games land at awkward hours in Europe. Find a group to watch with and it stops feeling like a chore.
Christmas in winter. Swap prawns on the beach for oliebollen at a market stall. It's different, and it's fun.
King's Day. Around 27 April the whole city turns orange and becomes one giant street party. It's the closest thing to Australia Day energy you'll find.
Beach days. Zandvoort is a short train ride away. The water's colder than Bondi, but the beach bars make up for it.

You'll miss home now and then, usually in February when the sky stays grey for a fortnight. A footy club, a cricket bat and a group chat full of other Aussies make Amsterdam very easy to love.

Aussie life in Amsterdam: where to find footy, cricket and your people