Thursday night clash for Six Nations opener with reigning champions France hosting Ireland
SIX NATIONS 2026: Ireland will kick off their 2026 Guinness Six Nations campaign with a Thursday night trip to reigning champions France next February, the championship organisers announced on Monday. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Ireland will kick off their 2026 Guinness Six Nations campaign with a Thursday night trip to reigning champions France next February, the championship organisers announced on Monday.
Next season’s competition starts on the same weekend as the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina in northern Italy and the Six Nations have avoided a clash by opening the 2026 championship 24 hours earlier.
The opening fixture will be a re-run of this season’s pivotal game in round four when France went to Dublin and derailed Ireland’s three-in-a-row title bid at Aviva Stadium before lifting the trophy the following week.
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The 2026 Guinness Men's Six Nations fixtures 🏆
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There have been no venues announced for France’s three home matches with the Six Nations set to confirm those in the coming weeks.
Ireland’s first of three home fixtures next season will see Italy visit the Aviva in round two for a Saturday afternoon kick-off, before a third round clash with England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
With only one rest weekend from next season, the trip to London will be Ireland’s third in consecutive weekends, on Saturday, February 21 with a week off to follow before Wales come to Dublin for a Friday night clash on March 6.
Ireland will round out the 2026 championship with the opening game of a “Super Saturday” line-up of fixtures at home to Scotland at 2:10pm on March 14 with Wales versus Italy in Cardiff at 4:40pm and France’s showdown with England completing the final day’s play at 8:10pm.
Thursday February 5: France v Ireland, 8.10pm.
Saturday February 7: Italy v Scotland, 2.10pm; England v Wales, 4.40pm.
Saturday February 14: Ireland v Italy, 2.10pm; Scotland v England, 4.40pm.
Sundayy February 15: Wales v France, 3.10pm.
Saturday February 21: England v Ireland, 2.10pm; Wales v Scotland, 4.40pm.
Sunday February 22: France v Italy, 3.10pm.
Friday March 6: Ireland v Wales, 8.10pm.
Saturday March 7: Scotland v France, 2.10pm; Italy v England, 4.40pm.
Saturday March 14: Ireland v Scotland, 2.10pm; Wales v Italy, 4.40pm; France v England, 8.10pm.
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