The Guinness 6 Nations 2026
It’s been a few months since international rugby took a break but luckily the kickoff to the Guinness 6 Nations is just around the corner. The Six Nations has been branded the Guinness M6N for 2026. The competition has been a staple of rugby for as long as the sport has been around with the first championship taking place in 1883.
Back then it was called the Home Nations Championship. The Home Nations Championship featured England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. It later became known as the Five Nations in 1910 due to France joining the competition. They changed the name to the Six Nations when Italy joined in 2000. England has the most titles under their belt having won the trophy 39 times but France is the current trophy holder.
Six Nations Teams
Most of the teams in the Guinness Six Nations feature many new faces in their squads to get ready for the Nations Championship. This is a brand new competition and takes place later in the year in July. This is when the Northern hemisphere will take on the South. Ex Captian Grégory Alldritt and top try scorer Damian Penaud were two of biggest omissions coming from France. The teams in the Six Nations are:
- England
- France
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Wales
- Italy
Season Fixtures
The round-robin format keeps the Guinness Six Nations fast-paced and fiercely competitive. As a result, each team plays five high-intensity matches, facing every other nation once with no room for error and nowhere to hide.
Meanwhile, this season bursts into life with a blockbuster opener. France and Ireland are two heavyweight contenders with serious title ambitions and they go head-to-head in what promises to be an early tournament classic. The action kicks off at the iconic Stade de France on 5 February, with kick-off set for 22:10, setting the stage for fireworks right from Round 1.
Matches Week 1
- Italy hosts Scotland at the Stadio Olimpico for the second match of the tournament on the 7th of February. Kickoff is at 16:10.
- Wales has a tough match as they travel to Twickenham to play England to finish Week one of on the 7th. The match starts at 18:40.
Week 2 Matches
- Ireland host Italy at the Aviva Stadium for the first match of Week 2 on Valentine’s Day the 14th of February. The match kicks off at 16:10.
- England will travel to their neighbour to the North for a match at the Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh against Scotland which starts at 18:40 on the 14th.
- France will also play their second match of the competition at the Millennium Stadium against Wales. The game starts at 17:10 on the 15th of February.
M6N Fixtures of Week 3
- Week 3 starts off with a match between England and Ireland at Twickenham on the 21st of Feb at 16:10.
- Wales hosts Scotland in Cardiff later that day on the 21st with the whistle starting the match at 18:40.
- France hosts Italy for the last match of Week 3 at 17:10 on the 22nd of February.
M6N Matches taking place in Week 4
- Ireland will host Wales in the first match of Week 4 at Aviva Stadium on the 6th of March. The game starts at 22:10.
- France will be the guests at Murrayfield Stadium on the 7th of March with kickoff taking place at 16:10.
- England will travel to play Italy at 18:40 at the Olimpico Stadium on the 7th of March.
Week 5 in M6N
- Ireland will play their last match of the competition at home versus Scotland. 14th of March is the set date with kickoff at 16:10.
- Wales will welcome Italy for their last match of the tournament on the 14th, the game starts at 18:40.
- The competition will finish where it began at the Stade de France where the Red Roses will take on the Blues in the final match of the guinness six nations. The game is on the 14th of March with kick off at 22:10.
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Betting options on the Six Nations 2026
There are many different betting options available on rugby. Ranging from the simple outright team to win to the more specific bets such as first try scorer and player of the match. The top rugby betting sites in SA offer different types of bets so be sure to see what your betting provider offers. France and Ireland are the two favourites coming into the competition after being a force in the 2025 edition. So our bet is on England’s young and upcoming team who are seen as the underdogs.
So for some additional tips and markets to explore have a look at our Rugby Betting Guide. You might just be able to convert your rugby passion into something rewarding!
