TNT Sports set to lose Nations Championship TV rights to free-to-air broadcaster

Crucially, sources stress the arrangement is not yet finalised.

The proposed 12-team competition, which will pit the Six Nations against southern heavyweights and invited nations, is scheduled to start in 2026 and reshape the traditional July and November Test windows. ITV’s confirmed bid signals serious momentum behind plans to keep the tournament on terrestrial TV — the kind of exposure that would immediately broaden the audience and boost the profile of international rugby in Britain.

Why this matters: a free-to-air deal would put high-value autumn and summer Tests in front of millions, rather than locked behind a subscription paywall. ITV already shares Six Nations coverage with the BBC and has a long history with Rugby World Cups, so the network is seen as a natural fit — but rival broadcasters remain in the picture and negotiations continue.

• ITV has lodged a confirmed bid of over £80m and appears to be the frontrunner.
• The deal has not been finalised — talks are ongoing and commercial/contractual terms remain subject to agreement.
• If completed, ITV would likely show the first editions in 2026 (and possibly 2028), dramatically increasing the tournament’s reach.
• Stakeholders are conscious of balancing free-to-air access with the commercial model needed to fund international windows.

For fans, the headline is hopeful: the possibility of blockbuster fixtures — England vs Australia, England vs New Zealand and more — being available without a subscription is appealing. For broadcasters and rights holders, it’s a high-stakes negotiation about where the future of Test rugby sits in the TV landscape. We’ll keep watching the story as it develops. At the moment it’s ITV in the driving seat — but until contracts are signed, nothing is guaranteed.