How to watch the Six Nations: Date, time, live stream and TV channel

The 2026 Six Nations Championship gets underway on Thursday evening as France begin their title defence with a blockbuster clash against Ireland at the Stade de France.

The opening weekend continues with Scotland travelling to face Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, before England welcome Wales to the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in one of rugby union’s fiercest rivalries.

With Les Bleus aiming to retain their crown as the northern hemisphere’s dominant force, both England and Ireland will be determined to lay down an early marker in the competition.

Here, Sports Mole provides details of how to tune into the opening weekend and the rest of the tournament.

What time does the Six Nations kick off?

The 2026 Six Nations begins on Thursday evening, with France hosting Ireland at the Stade de France.

• France vs. Ireland – Thursday, 8:10pm UK time
• Italy vs. Scotland – Saturday, 2.10pm UK time
• England vs. Wales – Saturday, 4.40pm UK time

Where are the games being played?

The tournament will kick off in Paris at the Stade de France, where reigning champions France will look to begin their campaign with a statement victory against one of their main title rivals.

Scotland will then head to Rome to face Italy at the Stadio Olimpico, with Italy looking to build on recent momentum.

The opening weekend will conclude at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, as resurgent England host a Wales side in transition.

Matches throughout the tournament will also be staged at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

How to watch the Six Nations in the UK

TV channels

Coverage of the Six Nations in the UK will be split between BBC and ITV, who will share broadcasting rights throughout the tournament.

Both broadcasters will show matches live on their main television channels across the duration of the competition.

Online streaming

Viewers in the UK can stream matches live via BBC iPlayer and ITVX, depending on which broadcaster holds the rights to each fixture.

Both platforms are available across mobile, tablet, smart TV and desktop devices.

Highlights

Highlights and key moments from each match will be available across BBC Sport and ITV Sport’s digital platforms, including their websites, apps and YouTube channels.

Six Nations: What is the story?

France enter the 2026 Six Nations as defending champions and firm favourites to retain their title.

Les Bleus have built an exciting and formidable squad in recent years, and victory in the opening clash against Ireland would provide a major boost to their hopes of back-to-back titles for just the second time this century.

Ireland, however, remain one of the favourites to challenge for the crown and will be eager to spoil France’s party in Paris, with the Irish seeking to reassert themselves among the tournament’s elite.

England are also expected to be firmly in the title conversation, and a strong showing against Wales at Twickenham could set the tone for their campaign, while Scotland will aim to build momentum by securing a result away to Italy.

With traditional rivalries, championship ambitions and pride at stake, the Six Nations promises another thrilling chapter as Europe’s best rugby nations battle for supremacy.