There are few things better in rugby than a Six Nations matchday.
Six countries. Six historic stadiums. Six completely different matchday experiences. From the deafening roar under the roof in Cardiff to the epic Italian theatre of Rome, the Six Nations takes rugby into some of the most iconic sporting venues in Europe. But which stadium is actually the best?
That, of course, is entirely subjective. Having covered international rugby across England, Ireland, Scotland Wales, France and Italy, I have experienced each of these grounds from a rather different perspective and I have attempted to rank them below.
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This isn’t simply a ranking of stadiums based on capacity, architecture or history. I’m looking at the whole experience: getting there, the atmosphere, the views from the press box, the media facilities, the food, the anthems and, most importantly, what it actually feels like to be there on match day.
So, from sixth to first, here are my personal rankings of the six Six Nations stadiums.
6. Murrayfield Stadium
Stadium capacity: 67,144, Edinburgh
Match covered: Fiji v Scotland, Nations Championship 2026
Before an army of Scotsmen come marching down from north of the border to protest this ranking, there is an important disclaimer. My sole experience of Murrayfield came during the Fijian-hosted match in the latest Nations Championship under the sweltering July sun, made for quite the unique, and rather un-Scottish atmosphere.
The Fijian dancers and warriors were an incredible sight to witness, but I can’t imagine they are customary at a routine Six Nations clash played beneath the sleet of a brisk Murrayfield day in late winter. The stadium itself was rather impressive, with easy transport links to and from the ground thanks to the tram, which takes you directly into the heart of Edinburgh’s new town.
From a journalist’s perspective, I appreciate that it is slightly unfair to give Scotland’s home a bottom ranking when I am yet to experience a genuine Six Nations atmosphere there. That said, Flower of Scotland still rang out in full voice, with plenty of passion behind the lyrics. Also, thanks to Fiji actually bringing the fight to Scotland from the opening whistle and establishing a healthy first-half lead — the eventual Scottish cheers felt considerably more genuine and impassioned than some of the Tier One versus Tier Two matches I have covered in the past.
Take England against Samoa at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, for example. The Red Roses were overwhelming favourites, and the expectation was that the tries would simply keep coming. Understandably, they did at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton, for a near 100-point wash out. Murrayfield didn’t have that feel, with quite the buzz around the stadium come the full-time win.
The media facilities were also very good, although the circumstances were rather unusual. With Fiji effectively hosting the match, the visitors had taken over Scotland’s regular media centre and post-match mixed zone. That meant the press conference took place in a fairly standard function room, largely devoid of the rugby atmosphere you would normally associate with the fabled cauldron.
Hopefully, I’ll be back in Edinburgh this autumn when the All Blacks come to town. That could very easily propel Murrayfield up my personal rankings. For now, Scotland are sixth — through absolutely no fault of their own.
5. Aviva Stadium
Stadium capacity: 51,700, Dublin
Favourite Match covered: Ireland v Scotland: 2026 Six Nations – Triple Crown Decider
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I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Aviva Stadium since starting my new life in Ireland in spring 2025. After moving from London, most of my international rugby experience had been accumulated through repeated trips to Twickenham. Switching that up to covering Ireland took some adjustment, but it has been a hugely welcome challenge.
It is a close coin flip between the Aviva and Allianz Stadium for fifth and fourth place, with both of the finance-broker-sponsored grounds bringing similar vibes to matchday. Focusing on the Aviva, actually getting to the stadium if you aren’t booked into an exorbitantly expensive hotel in the Lansdowne or Ballsbridge area can be quite the ordeal.
The buses are caught in standstill Dublin tourist traffic, while the Luas is packed to the brim like the London Underground at peak rush hour. From a media perspective, however, the Aviva has a cracking set-up — albeit with a fair bit of walking involved. The collection point for press passes is a 10-15 minute walk, or rushed stride, down Lansdowne Road before a designated media entrance quickly hurries you out of the matchday crowd.
There is nothing quite like being caught up in the buzz of an international crowd, but it is a little less appealing when you have a match preview to file before kick-off. The stadium itself is beautifully designed, with that distinctive shape resembling everything from a teardrop to a fishbowl. I’ve even heard it once described as a breaching whale rising out of the neighboring river-side.
With three capacity stands, however, the decision to leave the stand behind the posts as a single tier does take something away from the atmosphere. Fields of Athenry belts around three-quarters of the ground, rather like a speaker with a pocket of blown-out fibres. However the uniqueness of a welcome from the President of Ireland ensures that the players have a moment to remember regardless of the result.
The press seats are also way up high, right at the top of the stand running parallel with the pitch, making the television on the desk a particularly useful asset. Although, admittedly, the live feed has dropped out on me from time to time. Still, there is something rather special about covering Ireland at the Aviva. It just doesn’t quite make my top four quite yet – I’m sure it will only elevate up the rankings in time.
4. Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Stadium capacity: 82,000, Twickenham
Favourite Match covered: England v New Zealand, Autumn Nations Series 2025
Having lived in Twickenham for a year while completing my master’s degree, I have experienced the best and worst of living within a well-struck rugby ball of the stadium known as ‘HQ’. Let’s start with the worst and end on a high.
As a student, having to either move my car away from the sectioned-off parts of the town or risk being boxed in by temporary fencing was a frustrating re-occurrence throughout November, February and March. Then there was the small matter of essentially having the capacity of a music festival descend onto your doorstep.
Drunk Twickenham visitors would spill out into the streets until the early hours, despite the TW2 pubs closing around 10pm thanks to their partnership with the Borough Council. That was another issue with being a student in Twickenham, whenever there was a match on, you had to wander further afield out to Kingston, Clapham, or down to Brixton if you wanted to keep the night going beyond the town-wide curfew.
But anyway. Back to the rugby. Why have I ranked Twickenham fourth? The positives are plentiful. It is a historic stadium that, admittedly, could do with some modernising, which is something the powers that be have reportedly had on the cards for the best part of a decade.
Seeing those iconic green seats is still a sight to behold, while the trademark ‘Twickenham roar’ is a fantastic beast when unleashed at full voice. I am lucky enough to have covered my fair share of matches at Allianz Stadium to the point where I’ve since lost count.
My favourite from an awe-inspiring perspective was England’s Autumn Series victory over the All Blacks in November 2025 — only the eighth time England had beaten the revered men in black on home soil. The noise that day was something else. Twickenham might no longer be my favourite stadium in the Six Nations, but it remains one of the most recognisable rugby venues on the planet. And there is something rather special about walking through those historic gates, and passing beneath the golden lions atop them.
