Photograph: Billy Stickland/INPHO/Shutterstock
Next year’s Six Nations will kick off on a Thursday night for the first time in the competition’s history, with the defending champions, France, hosting Ireland, and will take place across just six weeks after organisers removed one of fallow weeks for the championship.
It is understood the unprecedented move to begin the championship on Thursday 5 February next year has been made after input from broadcasters, with the 2026 Winter Olympics ceremony taking place in Milan the following day. It has also been made with the agreement of all six unions.
The championship has also been truncated to six weeks, with one of the traditional fallow weeks removed because of the inaugural Nations Cup, which is due to take place later in the year. That competition will feature four rounds of fixtures in the autumn of 2026 – the traditional Test window accounts for only three – so in exchange, the Six Nations will take place over six weeks. With just one fallow week, there will be three consecutive weeks of fixtures, followed by a week off, then two more to conclude the championship.
The move to six weeks is unlikely to go down well with player welfare groups, given a host of internationals have spoken of the need for two rest weeks in the past. Early this season, England players said they had voiced “extensive concerns” about their workload with the Rugby Football Union when their contracts were announced for the coming year.
Round 1 [all times GMT]
Thurs 5 Feb: France v Ireland, 8.10pm; Sat 7 Feb: Italy v Scotland, 2.10pm; England v Wales, 4.40pm.
Round 2
Sat 14 Feb: Ireland v Italy, 2.10pm; Scotland v England, 4.40pm; Sun 15 Feb: Wales v France, 3.10pm.
Round 3
Sat 21 Feb: England v Ireland, 2.10pm; Wales v Scotland 4.40pm; Sun 22 Feb: France v Italy, 3.10pm.
Round 4
Fri 6 Mar: Ireland v Wales, 8.10pm; Sat 7 Mar: Scotland v France, 2.10pm; Italy v England, 4.40pm.
Round 5
Sat 14 Mar: Ireland v Scotland, 2.10pm; Wales v Italy, 4.40pm; France v England, 8.10pm.
In 1948, France hosted the opening match of the Five Nations, against Ireland, on a Thursday but next year’s curtain-raiser will be the first time it has happened in the Six Nations.
England will begin their campaign by hosting Wales on Saturday 7 February before travelling to Murrayfield to face Scotland and then welcoming Ireland to Twickenham. After the fallow week Steve Borthwick’s side face consecutive away matches, against Italy and then France in the final match on Super Saturday. Ireland, who will have the British & Irish Lions coach, Andy Farrell, back at the helm, host the only Friday night match of the championship, against Wales in round four of the competition.
