Troubled Wales learn 2026 Six Nations schedule

Winless Wales suffered a record defeat at home to England in the final game of the 2025 Six Nations

Wales face a tricky start to the 2026 Six Nations with an away trip against England on Saturday, 7 February.

Steve Borthwick's side inflicted a record 68-14 defeat in Cardiff during a miserable 2025 tournament that saw Wales finish winless for the second Six Nations in a row.

After the opening trip to the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, Wales are at home for two successive games - hosting defending champions France on Sunday, 15 February before Scotland arrive the following Saturday.

A trip to face Ireland then beckons on Friday, 6 March, before the campaign is rounded off on Saturday, 14 March at home to Italy.

It has also been confirmed there will be only one rest weekend, rather than the previous two, in the 2026 tournament.

Normally the revealing of the fixture list for the next Six Nations is a cause for excitement, with fans planning their days out.

But any anticipation this time will be tempered by the frantic state Welsh rugby finds itself in.

At international level both men's and women's sides finished their Six Nations campaigns without a victory between them, while the men's team is without a head coach despite an impending tour to Japan this July.

Warren Gatland departed as national boss after last February's Six Nations defeat to Italy in Rome, with Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt taking over in a caretaker capacity and overseeing three further defeats.

Sherratt could be asked to step in once more against Japan if no permanent successor has been found by then.

The Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) new performance director Dave Reddin is the man chosen to sort out the mess, but the former Football Association (FA) and Team GB performance expert does not officially start his role on a full-time basis until 1 September.

Reddin's task will be further complicated by the return of the internecine warfare between the WRU and its regions, after Welsh rugby's governing body announced it will move away from a model of four evenly funded professional sides.

A new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) has been signed by Dragons and Cardiff, although last month Cardiff were taken over by the WRU having served formal notification that they intended to enter administration.

Ospreys and Scarlets have not signed and accuse the WRU of creating "destabilising and debilitating uncertainty" over its intention to implement a new two-tier funding system.

One bright spark has been Scarlets qualifying for the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs, securing a place in next season's European Champions Cup with it.

But Welsh rugby's sole remaining flag-bearers in a competition this season must prepare for a knock-out trip to Leinster with uncertainty over their future funding hanging over them.

So roll on the 2026 Six Nations, with time enough still for shoots of regrowth to emerge from the cracks and a chance to start afresh.

2026 Six Nations fixtures

*All times GMT

Round 1

France v Ireland - Thursday 5 February (20:10)

Italy v Scotland - Saturday 7 February (14:10)

England v Wales - Saturday 7 February (16:40)

Round 2

Ireland v Italy - Saturday 14 February (14:10)

Scotland v England - Saturday 14 February (16:40)

Wales v France - Sunday 15 Feburary (15:10)

Round 3

England v Ireland - Saturday 21 February (14:10)

Wales v Scotland - Saturday 21 February (16:40)

France v Italy - Sunday 22 February (15:10)

Round 4

Ireland v Wales - Friday 6 March (20:10)

Scotland v France - Saturday 7 March (14:10)

Italy v England - Saturday 7 March (16:40)

Round 5

Ireland v Scotland - Saturday 14 March (14:10)

Wales v Italy - Saturday 14 March (16:40)

France v England - Saturday 14 March (20:10)