Rugby’s greatest championship.

The 2026 Guinness Six Nations is locked in and set to be another absolute classic. It kicks off on Thursday, 5 February 2026, with a massive curtain-raiser as reigning champs France host Ireland in Paris — and for the first time in decades, the tournament opens on a Thursday night.

The championship runs through to Saturday, 14 March 2026, across five thrilling rounds.

This year’s edition is slightly condensed, with just one rest week instead of the usual two, meaning teams and fans get non-stop Six Nations action over six weekends.

📅 Full Fixtures & Kick-off Times (GMT)

🔥 Round 1 — Thursday Night Lights

Thu 5 Feb — France v Ireland @ Stade de France (8:10 pm)

Sat 7 Feb — Italy v Scotland @ Rome (2:10 pm)

Sat 7 Feb — England v Wales @ Twickenham (4:40 pm)
(All times GMT)

🟢 Round 2 — Week 2

Sat 14 Feb — Ireland v Italy @ Aviva Stadium (2:10 pm)

Sat 14 Feb — Scotland v England @ Murrayfield (4:40 pm)

Sun 15 Feb — Wales v France @ Principality (3:10 pm)

⚔️ Round 3 — Big Battles

Sat 21 Feb — England v Ireland @ Twickenham (2:10 pm)

Sat 21 Feb — Wales v Scotland @ Cardiff (4:40 pm)

Sun 22 Feb — France v Italy @ Lille (3:10 pm)

🔄 Round 4 — Primetime Showdowns

Fri 6 Mar — Ireland v Wales @ Aviva (8:10 pm)

Sat 7 Mar — Scotland v France @ Murrayfield (2:10 pm)

Sat 7 Mar — Italy v England @ Rome (4:40 pm)

🎉 Round 5 — Super Saturday

Sat 14 Mar

Ireland v Scotland @ Aviva (2:10 pm)

Wales v Italy @ Cardiff (4:40 pm)

France v England @ Stade de France (8:10 pm)
(All times GMT)

📺 How To Watch (UK & Ireland)

Thanks to expanded broadcast deals, fans across the UK and Ireland will be able to catch every match live on free-to-air platforms and major networks, with streaming options for international viewers too.

The opening France v Ireland blockbuster on Thursday is specifically scheduled early to avoid overlapping with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, meaning maximum eyeballs on rugby first.

💥 What Makes 2026 Different?

This year feels different for a few reasons:

🥇 Historic Thursday Opener

For the first time in ages, the tournament kicks off on a Thursday night, ramping the excitement EARLY instead of waiting for the weekend.

🔄 Condensed Calendar

Only one rest week this year — so teams are going hard straight through six weekends of rugby.

🏉 Top Fixtures Spread Out

You get massive clashes like England v Ireland mid-tournament and France v England closing Super Saturday. Every round has something to shout about.

🔍 Team Notes (Mini Breakdown)

France start as reigning champs and have the bragging rights at home, with captain Antoine Dupont back firing and ready to lead the defence in Paris.

Ireland face a big opener but also get three home games at Aviva later in the campaign, meaning crowd energy could be a huge factor.

England and Wales kick things off straight into fiery fixtures from Round 1.

Scotland and Italy have sneaky opportunities to ruffle feathers, especially if they land momentum early.

🏉 Quick Fan Checklist

🎟️ Get Tickets Early — Rounds with Irish home games and the England v Wales block will be CRAZY for demand.
⏰ Note Kick-off Times — Most games are early afternoon or evening by UK/Ireland time — check local listings.
📍 Plan Your Watch Parties — Thursday and Friday night games could be epic for pubs and watch gatherings.
📲 Follow RugbyLAD for Updates — We’ll keep you in the loop throughout the tournament

📌 Bottom line: Six Nations 2026 is shaping up to be non-stop action, intense clashes every single week, and more reasons than ever to pull a sickie or beg your mate to host a watch party.

Are you ready for the chaos? 🏉🔥