Saturday marks the start of a new dawn in international rugby union as the Nations Championship bursts into life.
The new tournament brings the 12 best teams in the sport – the traditional Six Nations plus Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Japan and Fiji – together and pits Northern Hemisphere sides against those in the Southern Hemisphere.
It starts with the Southern Hemisphere Series in July before the Northern Hemisphere takes its turn to host in the Autumn and then Finals weekend at Twickenham at the end of November.
Pitting the world’s best teams and players against each other is certainly no bad thing and every match is available to watch for free for UK fans.
Saturday’s schedule is truly mouthwatering. You can breakfast with New Zealand v France, tuck into Australia v Ireland for brunch, enjoy Fiji v Wales as a late lunch, dig into South Africa v England in the afternoon, and then cap off the day with Argentina v Scotland.
Radio Times brings you all the TV coverage details for the Six Nations 2026.
Nations Championship 2026 on TV
Every Nations Championship 2026 match will be shown live on ITV.
ITV1 or ITV4 will show each of the games, exposing millions to elite rugby union action and the world’s best teams on free-to-air TV.
Games will also be available to watch on ITVX, so you don’t have to miss a moment – even on the move.
Additionally, there will be Welsh-language coverage of Wales games on S4C, S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer.
You can tune into either platform via a range of devices, including smart TVs, laptops and smartphones, meaning you can catch every tackle, turnover and try.
Nations Championship 2026 TV schedule
All UK time.
Southern Hemisphere Series
Saturday 4 July
New Zealand v France (8:10am – One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch) ITV1 / ITVXJapan v Italy (9:40am – Tokyo Chichibunomiya, Tokyo) ITV4 / ITVXAustralia v Ireland (11:10am – Allianz Stadium, Sydney) ITV1 / ITVXFiji v Wales (2:10pm – Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff) ITV1 / ITVX / S4C / BBC iPlayerSouth Africa v England (4:40pm – Ellis Park, Johannesburg) ITV4 / ITVXArgentina v Scotland (8pm – Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba) ITV4 / ITVX
Saturday 11 July
New Zealand v Italy (6:10am – Hnry Stadium, Wellington) ITV / ITVXAustralia v France (8:30am – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane) ITV / ITVXJapan v Ireland (11am – McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia) ITV / ITVXFiji v England (2:10pm – Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool) ITV / ITVXSouth Africa v Scotland (4:40pm – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria) ITV / ITVXArgentina v Wales (8pm – Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario, San Juan) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 18 July
New Zealand v Ireland (8:10am – Eden Park, Auckland) ITV / ITVXJapan v France (9:40am – Tokyo National Stadium, Tokyo) ITV / ITVXAustralia v Italy (11:10am – HBF Park, Perth) ITV / ITVXFiji v Scotland (2:10pm – Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVXSouth Africa v Wales (4:40pm – Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban) ITV / ITVXArgentina v England (8:10pm – Estadio Unico Madre de Cuidades, Santiago del Estero) ITV / ITVXNorthern Hemisphere Series
Friday 6 November
Ireland v Argentina (8:10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 7 November
Italy v South Africa (11:40am – Allianz Stadium, Turin) ITV / ITVXScotland v New Zealand (2:10pm – Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVXWales v Japan (4:40pm – Principality Stadium, Cardiff) ITV / ITVXFrance v Fiji (8:10pm – Groupama Stadium, Lyon) ITV / ITVX
Sunday 8 November
England v Australia (3:10pm – Allianz Stadium, London) ITV / ITVX
Friday 13 November
France v South Africa (8:10pm – Stade de France, Paris) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 14 November
Italy v Argentina (11:40am – Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa) ITV / ITVXWales v New Zealand (2:10pm – Principality Stadium, Cardiff) ITV / ITVXEngland v Japan (4:40pm – Allianz Stadium, London) ITV / ITVXIreland v Fiji (8:10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin) ITV / ITVX
Sunday 15 November
Scotland v Australia (3:10pm – Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 21 November
England v New Zealand (2:10pm – Allianz Stadium, London) ITV / ITVXScotland v Japan (2:10pm – Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh) ITV / ITVXIreland v South Africa (4:40pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin) ITV / ITVXItaly v Fiji (4:40pm – Bluenergy Stadium, Udine) ITV / ITVXWales v Australia (8:10pm – Principality Stadium, Cardiff) ITV / ITVXFrance v Argentina (8:10pm – Stade de France, Paris) ITV / ITVXWant to see this content?
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Finals
Friday 27 November
11th Place Final: Northern 6 v Southern 6 (4:40pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX5th Place Final: Northern 3 v Southern 3 (8:10pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
Saturday 28 November
9th Place Final: Northern 5 v Southern 5 (1:10pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX3rd Place Final: Northern 2 v Southern 2 (4:40pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
Sunday 29 November
7th Place Final: Northern 4 v Southern 4 (1:10pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVXNations Championship Final: Northern 1 v Southern 1 (4:40pm, Twickenham) ITV / ITVX
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