Six Nations news: Full list of fixtures, TV listings, and odds as France seek title defence

By Joseph Terry

Europe’s rugby elite will clash once again in the upcoming Six Nations Championship, fighting to be called kings of the Northern Hemisphere.

As squads look ahead to the inaugural Rugby Nations Championship and the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, the Six Nations will be an acid test.

From February to March 2026, the greatest international series returns – broadcast on ITV, BBC and Welsh-language channel S4C in the UK. 

What you need to know about the Six Nations

All sides play each other once, with four points awarded for a win.

A bonus point can be added if a team scores four tries or if you lose within seven points of your opponent.

Defeated teams can therefore score two points – one for the losing margin and one for tries scored.

A draw awards two points, although such an outcome was last seen in 2019.

After five rounds, the table-topper is then crowned champion.

The championship was founded in 1883 as the Home Nations with England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland competing, before becoming the Five Nations in 1947 when France entered.

The competition expanded once more in 2000, with Italy joining to make the current lineup.

In 2025, France claimed the title by one point over England, who beat the champions by one point in a thriller at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham.

French wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey topped the try-scoring charts with eight finishes.

The grandest honour in the Six Nations is managing a Grand Slam – winning the championship unbeaten.

Eleven Grand Slams have been clinched in the Six Nations era, with the last being earned in 2023 by the Irish.

For the home nations, another honour is the Triple Crown – beating all British and Irish teams in one tournament.

This has been achieved much more often, with there 18 occurrences in the 21st century alone.

If the Grand Slam is the biggest honour, the Wooden Spoon award for finishing last is the most unimpressive.

Wales are looking to break a streak of two consecutive last-place finishes, with Italy having grabbed eight straight spoons prior to that.

Wales and Italy are the two prime contenders for the unwelcome award this year, although Scotland remain at risk of falling into the conversation.

Standout fixtures to follow

The blockbuster opening fixture of the championship sets the tone for the whole tournament as France host Ireland – the match-up that has decided the Six Nations in three of the last four editions.

A rarely seen Thursday-evening floodlights fixture could spell the end of the loser’s Six Nations aspirations in a true do-or-die curtain raiser.

Days later, England play Wales at Twickenham before travelling to Edinburgh to face Scotland and contest the celebrated Calcutta Cup the weekend after.

Wales return to Cardiff in round three to play against the Scots, with a spine-tingling rendition of their national anthem sure to accompany the fight for the Doddie Weir Cup. 

Super Saturday then delivers in the final round as England look to upset a home French crowd in a potential championship final.

At the other end of the table, Wales and Italy will likely battle for the Wooden Spoon.

Ireland’s tie with Scotland, meanwhile, precedes both clashes on a marathon day of rugby.

READ MORE: World Cup: England draw Croatia while France draw Group of Death

The oddsmakers’ view

At 10/11, defending champions France are the favourites to win what would be their eighth title according to Oddschecker.

The English are 11/4 as they chase a 25th title across Five and Six Nations tournaments.

Ireland’s odds have drifted to 6/1 despite two titles in the last three campaigns, while Scotland sit at 14/1 in their search for a first Six Nations title.

Little hope has been put behind Italy and Wales at 200/1 and 250/1, respectively.

In addition, France are 4/9 picks to win the opening fixture against the Irish, but Wales are staggering 45/1 underdogs to defeat the English.

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Six Nations fixtures

Round 1

France vs Ireland – Stade de France, Paris; February 5 (20:10 GMT on ITV)

Italy vs Scotland – Stadio Olimpico, Rome; February 7 (14:10 GMT on BBC)

England vs Wales – Allianz Stadium, London; February 7 (16:40 GMT on ITV and S4C)

Round 2

Ireland vs Italy – Aviva Stadium, Dublin; February 14 (14:10 GMT on ITV)

Scotland vs England – Murrayfield, Edinburgh; February 14 (16:40 GMT on ITV)

Wales vs France – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; February 15 (15:10 GMT on BBC and S4C)

Round 3

England vs Ireland – Allianz Stadium, Dublin; February 21 (14:10 GMT on ITV)

Wales vs Scotland – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; February 21 (16:40 GMT on BBC and S4C)

France vs Italy – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille; February 22 (15:10 GMT on ITV)

Round 4

Ireland vs Wales – Aviva Stadium, Dublin; March 6 (20:10 GMT on ITV and S4C)

Scotland vs France – Murrayfield, Edinburgh; March 7 (14:10 GMT on BBC)

Italy vs England – Stadio Olimpico, Rome; March 7 (16:40 GMT on ITV)

Round 5

Ireland vs Scotland – Aviva Stadium, Dublin; March 14 (14:10 GMT on ITV)

Wales vs Italy – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; March 14 (16:40 GMT on BBC and S4C)

France vs England – Stade de France, Paris; March 14 (20:10 GMT on ITV)

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