2026 Six Nations goes behind paywall for the first time next month
Rugby NewsThursday, 29 January 2026 at 19:03
Rugby’s biggest annual tournament is moving to a new broadcaster, but free-to-air coverage will remain in place for the time being.
Watch the Guinness Six Nations at your local Greene King sports pub.
Premier Sports have confirmed a new agreement to televise five matches from this year’s Guinness Six Nations, including all three of Wales’ home games.
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? Matches on Premier Sports
Premier Sports will broadcast:
- Wales vs France (Round 2)
- Wales vs Scotland (Round 3)
- Wales vs Italy (Round 5)
- Italy vs Scotland (Round 1)
- Scotland vs France (Round 4)
Importantly, all five matches will also be shown on the BBC, meaning fans will not lose access to free-to-air coverage. Wales’ matches will additionally be available on S4C.
Tick it off your wishlist and drive an Isuzu D-Max away today.
⚠️ What Does This Mean for the Future?
While this year’s coverage remains protected, Premier Sports’ involvement has raised fresh questions about the long-term future of the Six Nations on terrestrial TV.
The BBC and ITV have shared Six Nations rights since 2015, after teaming up to block a bid from Sky Sports. Since then:
- ITV now broadcasts 10 of the 15 matches
- The BBC shows the remaining five
Last year, amid rumours of interest from TNT Sports, BBC and ITV secured a new deal running until 2029, ensuring the tournament stays free-to-air.
? Premier Sports’ Rugby Expansion
Premier Sports have steadily expanded their rugby footprint in recent seasons. The broadcaster already holds rights to:
- United Rugby Championship (URC)
- Champions Cup
- France’s Top 14
- Japan League One
- USA’s Major League Rugby (MLR)
They also confirmed a strong punditry lineup for the Six Nations, including Tom Shanklin, Andy Goode, Jim Hamilton and Ryan Wilson.
?️ What They Said
Premier Sports CEO Richard Sweeney said:
“The Guinness Men’s Six Nations is one of the crown jewels of international rugby… We’re delighted to bring these outstanding fixtures to our customers and growing rugby network.”
He added that the deal represents another step in Premier Sports’ wider rugby strategy, following audience growth through their Champions Cup and Top 14 coverage.
? The Big Picture
For now, fans won’t miss out – every Six Nations match remains free-to-air in 2026.
But Premier Sports’ growing influence suggests the broadcast landscape could look very different in future tournaments.
But Premier Sports’ growing influence suggests the broadcast landscape could look very different in future tournaments.
Who has the most foreign-born players? 2026 Six Nations
The Six Nations has always been rooted in tradition — but in the modern era, international squads are increasingly shaped by migration, ancestry, and residency eligibility.
In 2026, foreign-born players remain a major part of the championship picture, although the overall numbers have fallen sharply compared to recent years.
Scotland — 14 foreign-born players (35%)
- Homegrown: 26/40 (65%)
- Foreign-born: 14/40 (35%)
Scotland once again lead the Six Nations for overseas-born representation.
Full list (Scotland)
Nathan McBeth — South Africa (Grandparent)
Pierre Schoeman — South Africa (Residency, 2021)
Ewan Ashman — Canada (Parent)
Elliot Millar Mills — England (Parent)
Josh Bayliss — England (Grandparent)
Jack Dempsey — Australia (Grandparent)
Ben White — England (Grandparent)
Fergus Burke — New Zealand (Grandparent)
Tom Jordan — New Zealand (Residency, 2024)
Rory Hutchinson — England (Grandparent)
Sione Tuipulotu — Australia (Grandparent)
Kyle Rowe — England (Cumulative Residency)
Kyle Steyn — South Africa (Parent)
Duhan van der Merwe — South Africa (Residency, 2020)
Wales — 9 foreign-born players (23.6%)
- Homegrown: 29/38 (76.3%)
- Foreign-born: 9/38 (23.6%)
Wales sit mid-table, with most foreign-born players coming through English development pathways or overseas heritage.
Full list (Wales)
Tomas Francis — England (Grandparent)
Archie Griffin — Australia (Parent)
Ben Carter — England (Residency, 2004)
Freddie Thomas — England (Grandparent)
Olly Cracknell — England (Grandparent)
Josh MacLeod — Monaco (Residency, 2004)
Gabriel Hamer-Webb — England (Parent)
Ellis Mee — England (Parent)
Blair Murray — New Zealand (Parent)
Italy — 8 foreign-born players (24.2%)
- Homegrown: 24/33 (72.7%)
- Foreign-born: 8/33 (24.2%)
Italy continue to benefit from a diverse talent pool, drawing on Argentine heritage and residency-qualified backs.
Full list (Italy)
Pablo Dimcheff — Argentina (Grandparent)
Muhamad Hasa — Albania (Residency, 2014)
Martin Page-Relo — France (Grandparent)
Stephen Varney — Wales (Parent)
Juan Ignacio Brex — Argentina (Grandparent)
Paolo Odogwu — England (Parent)
Montana Ioane — Australia (Residency, 2020)
Matt Gallagher — England (Grandparent)
Ireland — 8 foreign-born players (20%)
- Homegrown: 34/40 (85%)
- Foreign-born: 8/40 (20%)
Ireland remain one of the most homegrown squads in the championship, but several key players — especially in the backline — were born abroad.
Full list (Ireland)
Jeremy Loughman — USA (Parent)
Finlay Bealham — Australia (Grandparent)
Cormac Izuchukwu — England (Parent)
Joe McCarthy — USA (Parent)
Jamison Gibson-Park — New Zealand (Residency, 2019)
Ciarán Frawley — Australia (Parent)
Bundee Aki — New Zealand (Residency, 2017)
James Lowe — New Zealand (Residency, 2020)
France — 7 foreign-born players (15.5%)
- Homegrown: 39/45 (86.6%)
- Foreign-born: 7/45 (15.5%)
France have one of the strongest domestic player bases, but still include a handful of residency-qualified forwards.
Full list (France)
Dany Priso — Cameroon (Residency, 2008)
Uini Atonio — New Zealand (Residency, 2014)
Tevita Tatafu — Tonga (Residency, 2024)
Joshua Brennan — Ireland (Residency, 2005)
Thibaud Flament — Belgium (Born in France)
Emmanuel Meafou — New Zealand (Residency, 2023)
Tom Staniforth — Australia (Residency, 2025)
England — 6 foreign-born players (16.6%)
- Homegrown: 34/36 (94.4%)
- Foreign-born: 6/36 (16.6%)
England have the most domestically produced squad in the tournament, with only a small group born outside the country.
Full list (England)
Bevan Rodd — Scotland (Parent)
Emmanuel Iyogun — Spain (Residency)
Sam Underhill — USA (Parent)
Marcus Smith — Philippines (Parent)
Henry Arundell — Dhekelia (Parent)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso — Wales (Grandparent)
Ranking: Most foreign-born players (2026)
- Scotland — 14
- Wales — 9
- Italy — 8
- Ireland — 8
- France — 7
- England — 6
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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