Changes have been made under a new broadcasting agreement ahead of this year’s championship
Wales v England will no longer be shown by the BBC(Image: Getty Images)
The BBC has lost the rights to a major Six Nations fixture ahead of the upcoming tournament, with a huge Wales match also set to be shown on a new channel next year.
Last year, the corporation agreed a new deal with ITV to keep coverage of the championship on free-to-air television until 2029, amid suggestions that subscription channel TNT Sports were set to bid for the broadcast rights. While the tournament will remain free to watch over the next four years, ITV will continue to air the lion’s share of matches, showing two out of three fixtures every weekend.
With ITV showing 10 live matches, the BBC will continue to broadcast five, with this number traditionally amounting to Wales and Scotland’s home fixtures.
JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest news, analysis and much more
However, last year’s agreement saw the corporation give up the rights to show those matches when either Wales or Scotland are hosting England, with ITV broadcasting them instead.
It means that ITV – who already show England, Ireland, Italy and France’s home matches – will have a clean sweep of matches involving Steve Borthwick’s side for the first time ever this year.
For the BBC, however, it means that they have lost the rights to this year’s Calcutta Cup, with Borthwick’s men travelling to Murrayfield to take on Scotland on February 14.
A major Six Nations fixture will be missing from the BBC’s live coverage this year
With Wales travelling to Twickenham to face England on the opening weekend, that fixture was always going to be shown on ITV. But, despite being one of the highlights of the BBC’s Six Nations coverage, next year’s Wales v England showdown in Cardiff will also move to ITV under the terms of the new agreement.
When the deal was agreed in March 2025, ITV Director of Sport Niall Sloane said it was “monumental” for the broadcaster, adding: “We are proud to be the home of all England matches for the duration of the deal including England’s much revered clashes with Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
“The tournament is always one of the sporting highlights of the year, so we look forward to continuing to work with Six Nations Rugby and each union and federation moving forward.”
BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski added: “This deal is fantastic news for rugby and the BBC, keeping the sport accessible for as many people as possible. We are proud to bring the biggest sporting moments to our audiences.
“This is an exciting time for rugby, and we are proud to share every thrilling moment with audiences across the UK.”
Six Nations fixtures and TV details in full
Round 1
France v Ireland (Thursday, February 5, 8.10pm) – ITV
Italy v Scotland (Saturday, February 7, 2.10pm) – BBC
England v Wales (Saturday, February 7, 4.40pm) – ITV
Round 2
Ireland v Italy (Saturday, February 14, 2.10pm) – ITV
Scotland v England (Saturday, February 14, 4.40pm) – ITV
Wales v France (Sunday, February 15, 3.10pm) – BBC
Round 3
England v Ireland (Saturday, February 21, 2.10pm) – ITV
Wales v Scotland (Saturday, February 21, 4.40pm) – BBC
France v Italy (Sunday, February 22, 3.10pm) – ITV
Round 4
Ireland v Wales (Friday, March 6, 8.10pm) – ITV
Scotland v France (Saturday, March 7, 2.10pm) – BBC
Italy v England (Saturday, March 7, 4.40pm) – ITV
Round 5
Ireland v Scotland (Saturday March 14, 2.10pm) – ITV
Wales v Italy (Saturday March 14, 4.40pm) – BBC
France v England (Saturday, March 14, 8.10pm) – ITV
Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.