Ireland will begin their 2026 Guinness Six Nations campaign away to reigning champions France on Thursday, February 5th. The first ever Thursday night game in the championship’s history will kick off at 9.10pm local time (8.10pm Irish). Ireland’s second round game will be at home to Italy on Saturday, February 14th (kick-off 2.10pm) before they face England in Twickenham a week later on Saturday, February 21st (kick-off 2.10pm) as, from next year onwards, the men’s Six Nations will move from two fallow weeks to just one. This is part of the new global rugby calendar that has been agreed by all unions, leagues, competitions and player representative bodies. After the week’s respite, Ireland will host Wales on Friday, March 6th and finish with a home game against Scotland on Saturday March 14th (kick-off 2.10pm). The organisers have opted for a Thursday night match to kick start the tournament so as give the FFR and broadcasters the best opportunity to put on an opening ceremony that won’t clash with the Winter Olympics and afford the French Under-20s the Friday night slot to open the defence of their title. Thursday, February 5th: France v Ireland, 8.10pm Saturday, February 7th: Italy v Scotland, 2.10pm England v Wales, 4.40pm Saturday, February 14th: Ireland v Italy, 2.10pm Scotland v England, 4.40pm Sunday, February 15th: Wales v France, 3.10pm Saturday, February 21st: England v Ireland, 2.10pm Wales v Scotland, 4.40pm Sunday, February 22nd: France v Italy, 3.10pm Friday, March 6th: Ireland v Wales, 8.10pm Saturday, March 7th: Scotland v France, 2.10pm Italy v England, 4.40pm Saturday, March 14th: Ireland v Scotland, 2.10pm Wales v Italy, 4.40pm France v England, 8.10pm Ireland fixtures Round 1: France v Ireland, Thursday, February 5th, 8.10pm Round 2: Ireland v Italy, Saturday, February 14th, 2.10pm Round 3: England v Ireland, Saturday, February 21st, 2.10pm Round 4: Ireland v Wales, Friday, March 6th, 8.10pm Round 5: Ireland v Scotland, Saturday, March 14th, 2.10pm