Ireland will take on defending champions France in a pioneering Thursday night fixture to start the 2026 Six Nations, aiming to maximise global audiences ahead of winter olympics.
The Six Nations Championship will make history in 2026 by kicking off with its first-ever Thursday night fixture as Ireland travel to face defending champions France on 5 February at 20:10 GMT. The move, designed to boost viewership in France, also avoids clashing with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan the following day.
The decision to stage this blockbuster encounter on a Thursday night reflects the growing stature of the Six Nations as a premier international rugby tournament and marks a fresh approach to scheduling that organisers hope will attract even larger audiences. Ireland and France have dominated recent years between them, sharing the past four titles, which adds extra spice to the eagerly awaited opener.
Last year’s tournament concluded dramatically with France clinching the title after beating Scotland, drawing a record-breaking 9.5 million viewers on France2, representing a 46% share of the audience. The 2025 Six Nations also saw a 6.3% increase in viewership across domestic markets, signalling growing popularity for the tournament.
The 2026 schedule has been streamlined with only one rest weekend, instead of two, to condense the competition and maintain momentum. The opening three rounds will be played over three successive weekends, with a break on the weekend of 28 February and 1 March, followed by two more rounds on consecutive weekends, culminating in a ‘Super Saturday’ finale on 14 March where France will host England.
The full opening round fixtures are:
- Thursday 5 February: France vs Ireland (20:10 GMT)
- Saturday 7 February: Italy vs Scotland (14:10 GMT) and England vs Wales (16:40 GMT)
The subsequent rounds follow similarly packed schedules, including key clashes such as Ireland hosting Wales on 6 March and the final round showdown between France and England at Stade de France on 14 March.
Notably, France has yet to confirm venues for their 2026 fixtures. The French Rugby Federation revealed it had not received an acceptable proposal to remain at their traditional Stade de France home in Paris. Preparations for the 2024 Olympics had already displaced them in the previous year, forcing games into Marseille, Lille, and Lyon — all with stadiums over 50,000 capacity but none rival the Stade de France’s 80,000 seats and revenue potential. The Federation is currently exploring alternative locations.
Additionally, the Six Nations organisers confirmed that the 2026 Women’s Six Nations will start three weeks later than in 2025, moving its kickoff to April and finishing in May. This change aligns with a new global calendar for women’s rugby, allowing England’s Premier 15s Women’s Rugby (PWR) season to finish after mid-summer, culminating in a final on 27 June following semi-finals.
The revised calendar for both men’s and women’s tournaments aims to build stronger narratives, keep public attention engaged, and accommodate growing interest in women’s rugby internationally.
This historic Thursday night opener sets the tone for an exciting and tightly contested 2026 Six Nations, with fans worldwide eager to see if Ireland can challenge France’s crown or if the hosts will continue their recent dominance on home soil.
