The 2026 Men's Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Men's Six Nations for sponsorship reasons and branded as M6N) is a rugby union competition scheduled to take place from early February to mid-March 2026, featuring the men's national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. It will be the 132nd season of the competition (including its incarnations as the Home Nations Championship and the Five Nations Championship), but the 27th since it expanded to become the Six Nations Championship in 2000. It will begin on 5 February 2026 with a Thursday night match between France and Ireland, and end with France against England on 14 March.[1] France will enter the tournament as reigning champions, having reclaimed the title from Ireland in 2025.
A bonus point is awarded to a team that scores four or more tries, or loses by seven points or fewer. If a team scores four or more tries, and loses by seven points or fewer, they are awarded both bonus points.
Three bonus points are awarded to a team that wins all five of their matches (a Grand Slam). This ensures that a Grand Slam-winning team would top the table with at least 23 points, as there would otherwise be a scenario where a team could win all five matches with no bonus points for a total of 20 points and another team could win four matches with bonus points and lose their fifth match while claiming one or more bonus points giving a total of 21 or 22 points.
Tiebreakers
If two or more teams are tied on table points, the team with the better points difference (points scored less points conceded) is ranked higher.
If the above tiebreaker fails to separate tied teams, the team that scores the higher number of total tries (including penalty tries) in their matches is ranked higher.
If two or more teams remain tied after applying the above tiebreakers then those teams will be placed at equal rank; if the tournament has concluded and more than one team is placed first then the title will be shared between them.
Fixtures
The fixtures for the 2026 Six Nations were announced on 19 May 2025, beginning with the Six Nations' first ever Thursday night game between France and Ireland. It will also feature a Friday night game in the fourth round of matches as Ireland host Wales.[1] The competition is also set to take place over a reduced timeframe; instead of having rest weeks after rounds 2 and 3, it will now only have a rest week after round 3.
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