ITV has landed a huge new free-to-air rugby deal, securing the rights to major international competitions until 2029.
Watch the Guinness Six Nations at your local Greene King sports pub.
The agreement with Six Nations Rugby guarantees at least 124 live fixtures over the next four years, cementing ITV’s position as the UK’s leading free-to-air home of international rugby.
As part of the deal, ITV and STV will become the exclusive free-to-air broadcasters of the new Nations Championship, showing the tournament’s first two editions in 2026 and 2028.
The agreement sets up what is shaping up to be ITV’s biggest-ever period for live sport. Coverage will include the inaugural Nations Championship in 2026, the Men’s Summer Nations Series as teams build towards the Rugby World Cup in 2027, the Nations Championship in 2028, and the Men’s July Internationals and Autumn Nations Series in 2029.
All home matches involving England, Scotland and Wales will be produced by ITV Sport Production, part of ITV Studios.
The Nations Championship is international rugby’s bold new cross-hemisphere competition, featuring 12 of the world’s strongest nations and the biggest stars in the game, all battling for rugby’s newest silverware.
The tournament will launch in July 2026, following a landmark joint venture between Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, designed to transform the traditional July and November windows into a single, high-stakes competition played every two years.
The partnership with ITV brings significant new investment into the international game, while delivering the most comprehensive free-to-air access to elite international rugby the UK has seen since professionalism began.
The Nations Championship will sit alongside ITV’s coverage of the Guinness Six Nations, after the broadcaster agreed a long-term deal last year to show 10 matches per Championship — including every England game — live and free-to-air for the next four years.
ITV has also confirmed a two-year extension of its long-standing partnership with Premiership Rugby, further strengthening its rugby portfolio.
Big audiences. Big tournaments. And rugby staying free-to-air.
🏉 2026 Six Nations Fixtures: Round-by-Round Guide
ROUND 1
Thursday 5th February 2026
🇫🇷 France v Ireland
📍 Venue TBC
🕗 Kick-off: 8:10pm
Saturday 7th February 2026
🇮🇹 Italy v Scotland
📍 Stadio Olimpico, Rome
🕑 Kick-off: 2:10pm
🏟️ England v Wales
📍 Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
🕟 Kick-off: 4:40pm
ROUND 2
Saturday 14th February 2026
☘️ Ireland v Italy
📍 Aviva Stadium, Dublin
🕑 Kick-off: 2:10pm
🏴 Scotland v England
📍 Murrayfield, Edinburgh
🕟 Kick-off: 4:40pm
Sunday 15th February 2026
🐉 Wales v France
📍 Principality Stadium, Cardiff
🕒 Kick-off: 3:10pm
