The Six Nations is almost here, with less than a week to go until the start of the 2026 tournament. Champions France will launch the championship when they face Ireland in Paris.
Beyond being a tantalising curtain-raiser featuring two of the world’s finest sides, the match will create Six Nations history as the first game staged on a Thursday, with the tournament departing from convention this year. Fixtures have traditionally occurred on Saturdays and Sundays, while Friday evening encounters were introduced in 2009. Nevertheless, only France and Wales have staged Friday night matches since their launch, with no contests ever held earlier in the week – until now.
The decision to alter the tournament timetable has been taken to prevent a conflict with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, which takes place at the San Siro in Milan on Friday evening. With broadcasters eager to avoid dividing the viewership, France and Ireland will take the pitch on Thursday night.
This isn’t the only change to this year’s competition, with the tournament’s duration reduced by one week, a move that has raised player welfare concerns. While there have traditionally been two fallow weeks, one has now been eliminated due to the inaugural Nations Championship, which commences later this year.
The new competition will feature four rounds of fixtures in the autumn but the conventional Test window only accommodates three, meaning the Six Nations has been shortened.
Consequently, there will be three successive weeks of fixtures in February, with teams granted a week’s break before two consecutive weekends of matches to complete the championship.
Wales will contest a Friday night fixture in Dublin when they meet Ireland on March 6. Andy Farrell’s team hosted Friday matches at the Aviva Stadium during the autumn, facing New Zealand and Argentina. This will mark their first occasion doing so in the Six Nations.
France v Ireland – Thursday 5 February – 8.10pm
Italy v Scotland – Saturday 7 February – 2.10pm
England v Wales – Saturday 7 February – 4.40pm
Ireland v Italy – Saturday 14 February – 2.10pm
Scotland v England – Saturday 14 February – 4.40pm
Wales v France – Sunday 15 February – 3.10pm
England v Ireland – Saturday 21 February – 2.10pm
Wales v Scotland – Saturday 21 February – 4.40pm
France v Italy – Sunday 22 February – 3.10pm
Ireland v Wales – Friday 6 March – 8.10pm
Scotland v France – Saturday 7 March – 2.10pm
Italy v England – Saturday 7 March – 4.40pm
Ireland v Scotland – Saturday 14 March – 2.10pm
Wales v Italy – Saturday 14 March – 4.40pm
France v England – Saturday 14 March – 8.10pm
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