2026 Six Nations Round 1 Fixtures - Get all the dates, times, fixtures & venues for the opening round of the 2026 Six Nations

Ralph Staniforth

Editor

Last updated: 02 Feb 2026

Ralph Staniforth 02 Feb 2026

Share this article

2026 Six Nations starts Feb 5 with France vs Ireland.
Italy eyes upset vs Scotland; England favored vs Wales.
Spectacular opening expected; don't miss the action!

Expired

Ireland vs France Six Nations 2025 Dublin

Ireland and France kick Round 1 of the 2026 Six Nations off (Getty Images)

The 2026 Six Nations kicks off, rather unusually, on Thursday, 5 February when France host Ireland in the opening fixture. This has come about to avoid clashing with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan.

It is also certainly the biggest game of the opening round with the winner putting themselves in a great spot to claim the title. On Saturday, Italy will be looking to upset the odds against Scotland in Rome before England are favourites to dismantle Wales at Twickenham to close the weekend out.

Six Nations Round 1 Fixtures

Date	Time (SAST)	Match	Venue
5 February	22:10	France vs Ireland	Stade de France
7 February	16:10	Italy vs Scotland	Stadio Olympico
7 February	18:40	England vs Wales	Twickenham

France vs Ireland

France are comfortably favourites at home with Easybet giving them a -13.5 handicap. While Ireland are third favourites to win the title, they have dropped off in performance over the last two years as senior players have retired. France on the other hand have an exceptionally strong squad of players and will fancy their chances - particularly after dismantling Ireland in Dublin in the 2025 Six Nations.

Italy vs Scotland

This should be another enticing game and one that Italy will view as a serious possibility of an upset. They are no strangers to beating Scotland, particularly at home and have achieved some solid results in recent years, including a victory over Australia in November 2025. Scotland are dark horses for the tournament and while their consistency lets them down against top sides, they are often the 'Kingmakers' in the Six Nations.

England vs Wales

England's form has been phenomenal with 11 wins in their last 11 starts. They should have little issue brushing aside a Welsh side that is a shadow of their former selves. The handicap is set at 28.5 which ultimately tells the story of a one-sided fixture.

Ralph Staniforth is a South African sports journalist, editor and betting writer who has worked in sports media since 2012.

With a background in Sports Science, he has covered a wide range of sports and interviewed leading players and coaches across South African rugby, cricket and football.

His sports betting work covers both South African and international markets, combining his knowledge of sport with extensive experience analysing fixtures, teams, form and betting markets.

Ralph specialises in football and rugby, while also covering cricket, tennis and golf. His work includes match previews, betting tips, betting guides and broader analysis of the sports betting industry.

You can find more from Ralph at Muckrack and LinkedIn.