Six Nations matched moved as cause emerges for unusual kick-off off determination

France and Eire will make historical past when the Six Nations will get underway

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 26: (L-R) Dewi Lake of Wales, Sione Tuipulotu of Scotland, Jamie George of England, Antoine Dupont

There have been modifications to the format and schedule for the 2026 Six Nations (Picture: Ian MacNicol, Getty Photos)

The Six Nations is nearly right here, with lower than every week to go till the beginning of the 2026 match. Champions France will launch the championship after they face Eire in Paris.

Past being a tantalising curtain-raiser that includes two of the world’s most interesting sides, the match will create Six Nations historical past as the primary recreation staged on a Thursday, with the match departing from conference this yr. Fixtures have historically occurred on Saturdays and Sundays, whereas Friday night encounters had been launched in 2009. However, solely France and Wales have staged Friday evening matches since their launch, with no contests ever held earlier within the week – till now.

The choice to change the match timetable has been taken to stop a battle with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, which takes place on the San Siro in Milan on Friday night. With broadcasters desperate to keep away from dividing the viewership, France and Eire will take the pitch on Thursday evening.

This is not the one change to this yr’s competitors, with the match’s period lowered by one week, a transfer that has raised participant welfare considerations. Whereas there have historically been two fallow weeks, one has now been eradicated as a result of inaugural Nations Championship, which commences later this yr.

The brand new competitors will function 4 rounds of fixtures within the autumn however the typical Check window solely accommodates three, that means the Six Nations has been shortened.

Consequently, there might be three successive weeks of fixtures in February, with groups granted every week’s break earlier than two consecutive weekends of matches to finish the championship.

Wales will contest a Friday evening fixture in Dublin after they meet Eire on March 6. Andy Farrell’s group hosted Friday matches on the Aviva Stadium through the autumn, dealing with New Zealand and Argentina. This may mark their first event doing so within the Six Nations.