One of the biggest rugby tournaments in the world returns when the Six Nations 2026 begins on February 5th. Ireland open the tournament against last year’s winners, France, in Paris. Les Bleus are favourites to win again with our online sports betting site. However, Ireland will be gunning for their 25th title and have the perfect opportunity to stake their claim with a victory over the champions.
While teams like Wales and England have been underperforming of late, this edition seems like the closest one for some time. With so much action coming over the next month, we are here with everything you need to know about where to watch the Six Nations in Ireland.
When is the Six Nations?
The Six Nations begins on February 5th, 2026. Ireland will be opening the tournament against the champions, France. Each team plays one fixture per week in a round-robin tournament, with a total of 15 games over five rounds. The tournament concludes with Super Saturday on March 14th, 2026, when all six teams are in action on the final day. This often creates a dramatic finish, with the Six Nations title, Grand Slam, and individual trophies frequently decided in the final round.
What channel is the Six Nations on?
The Six Nations is split between two channels in Ireland, as well as streaming services. Rugby fans will be able to watch all five of Ireland’s matches on free-to-air TV. Let’s take a look at where to watch Six Nations coverage and the schedule for the tournament.
RTE
RTE will broadcast the Six Nations once again in 2026, showing six fixtures across the tournament. This includes two Ireland games, with the clashes with England and Wales broadcast live on RTE Sport. Here is the full Six Nations 2026 broadcast schedule on RTE:
- Sunday, 15 February 2026 – Wales v France – 3:10pm GMT
- Saturday, 21 February 2026 – England v Ireland – 2:10pm GMT
- Sunday, 22 February 2026 – France v Italy – 3:10pm GMT
- Friday, 6 March 2026 – Ireland v Wales – 8:10pm GMT
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 – Wales v Italy – 4:40pm GMT
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 – France v England – 8:10pm GMT
RTE’s Six Nations coverage in 2026 will be available across RTE2, RTE Player, and RTE Radio 1, ensuring fans can follow every key moment on television, online, and on the radio. In addition to live match coverage, RTE will provide comprehensive build-up, half-time analysis and post-match reaction throughout the tournament.
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Television will also provide extensive free-to-air coverage of the Six Nations in 2026 as part of its joint broadcast agreement with RTE. This ensures Irish viewers can watch every match of the Men’s, Women’s and Under-20 Six Nations Championships live and free-to-air. You can tune in via television, streaming, and radio platforms.
- Thursday, 5 February 2026 – France v Ireland – 8:10pm GMT
- Saturday, 7 February 2026 – Italy v Scotland – 2:10pm GMT
- Saturday, 7 February 2026 – England v Wales – 4:40pm GMT
- Saturday, 14 February 2026 – Ireland v Italy – 2:10pm GMT
- Saturday, 14 February 2026 – Scotland v England – 4:40pm GMT
- Saturday, 21 February 2026 – Wales v Scotland – 4:40pm GMT
- Saturday, 7 March 2026 – Scotland v France – 2:10pm GMT
- Saturday, 7 March 2026 – Italy v England – 4:40pm GMT
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 – Ireland v Scotland – 2:10pm GMT
Virgin Media will also show key Ireland fixtures throughout the tournament. This includes the final day of the Championship on 14th March, when Ireland vs Scotland kicks off at 2:10pm live on Virgin Media One and Virgin Media PLAY. Most rugby predictions will have Ireland down as winners in the finale. That Super Saturday schedule is completed by Wales vs Italy at 4:40pm and France vs England at 8:10pm on RTE.
Who plays in the Six Nations?
The Six Nations consists of exactly what it says in name: six nations, battling it out in a round-robin tournament for supremacy. Those six nations are Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, and Italy. Each team plays one another once during the Championship, with home and away fixtures rotating each year.
The tournament runs over five rounds, traditionally taking place in February and March. Teams are awarded points for wins, draws, and bonus points. At the end of the competition, the team with the highest points total is crowned Six Nations champions. France won last year’s competition, narrowly edging England to first place by a single bonus point.
As well as the overall title, teams also compete for several historic trophies during the tournament, including the Triple Crown for the Home Nations, the Calcutta Cup between England and Scotland, and the Millennium Trophy contested by Ireland and England. This rich history and long-standing rivalries are a major part of what makes the Six Nations one of the most prestigious competitions in world rugby.
How many points for winning a rugby match?
The points system in the Six Nations is the same as other rugby union matches in similar formats:
- 0 points for a loss
- 2 points for a draw
- 4 points for a win
- 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
OR
- 1 point for losing by 7 points or fewer
In addition, a team that wins all five of their matches are awarded three extra bonus points at the end of the tournament. This ensures that a Grand Slam winner is guaranteed to finish top of the table, even if another team accumulates multiple bonus points across their fixtures.
Why are there bonus points?
This bonus-point system is designed to encourage attacking rugby and keep the Championship competitive throughout all five rounds. A team can earn a maximum of five points from a single match by winning and scoring four or more tries. Even a losing side can still collect up to two points. Provided they score four tries and lose by a margin of seven points or less.
