The 2026 edition of the tournament breaks with tradition by kicking off on a Thursday.
The announcement of the 2026 Six Nations fixtures revealed the surprising addition of an opening match on a Thursday,meaning that the schedule looks a bit different to what we’ve seen in previous years’ championships.
The tournament is also one week shorter than in recent years, with the first fallow week – which traditionally took place after the second round of matches – removed. Eagle-eyed fans will also have noticed that the match times have changed, with early Saturday kick-offs at 2.10pm, late afternoon kick-offs at 4.40pm,evening kick-offs at 8.10pm, and Sunday kick-offs at 3.10pm (all times GMT).
But by far the biggest talking point is that Thursday night Six Nations 2026 opener, in which reigning champions France welcome Ireland to Paris on 5 February. The tournament has kicked off under the Friday night lights many times before – including last season’s France v Wales clash – but this is a radical break with tradition. So why have the tournament’s organisers decided to get the party started early in 2026?
Why is the 2026 Six Nations kicking off on a Thursday night?
It’s not that the competition organisers have decided to follow in the footsteps of football’s Europa League, whose games kick off on Thursdays to make way for the more glamorous Champions League. The motivation is, however, sport-related.
France v Ireland – which, going on recent tournaments, could have some bearing on the destination of the Six Nations trophy this year - has been moved to avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. It is hoped that this Thursday night experiment will maximise the TV audience for the game in France.
Has a Six Nations championship match ever been played on a Thursday before?
The 2026 France v Ireland encounter marks the first time a Six Nations match has ever kicked off on a Thursday, but it’s not a first for the tournament as a whole.
Nearly eight decades ago this very same fixture kicked off the 1948 Five Nations on New Year’s Day, 1948, which just happened to fall on a Thursday that year. Ireland beat France 13-6 in Paris on the
