Watching Europe’s number one rugby competition doesn’t have to come with a price tag
The Six Nations 2026 may be one of the greatest sporting events on the planet, but that doesn’t mean it has to be trapped behind a paywall. Broadcasters in Ireland, the UK and France have signed deals to keep the championship free-to-air until at least 2029, meaning that everybody can watch what’s (for our money) the greatest rugby show on Earth.
This quick guide explains how to watch 2026 Six Nations live streams for free, with viewing options in Ireland, the UK and France. Check out our comprehensive how to watch the 2026 Six Nations guide to see where each of the 15 games is airing where you are, and scroll down to find out how you can use a VPN to take your usual streaming services with you if you’re travelling overseas. You’ll also find out broadcast information for upcoming fixtures at the bottom of the page.
Free Six Nations live streams: at a glance
How to watch the Six Nations for free from anywhere
If you’re a resident of Ireland, the UK or France travelling overseas during the 2026 Six Nations, you probably don’t fancy stumping up subscription fees for another broadcaster when you could be watching for free at home. Luckily, help is at hand courtesy of a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
These handy pieces of software can help you get around the geo-blocking that might otherwise stop you from watching your usual streamers when you’re abroad. In other words, you can still tune into the world’s greatest rugby tournament as if you were back home.
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Where can you watch the Six Nations for free in Ireland?
In Ireland, all the Six Nations 2026 fixtures are shared between two free-to-air broadcasters: Virgin Media and RTÉ.
- Virgin Media’s games are available on the Virgin Media Play streaming service, and terrestrial broadcast channel Virgin Media One*.
- RTÉ’s matches are available on the RTÉ Player streaming service, and terrestrial broadcast channel RTÉ2*.
Where can you watch the Six Nations for free in the UK?
In the UK, every Six Nations 2026 match is available for free through either the BBC (five matches) or ITV (10 matches).
- The BBC’s fixtures are available on the BBC iPlayer streaming service, and terrestrial broadcast channel BBC One*.
- ITV’s games are available on the ITVX streaming service, and terrestrial broadcast channel ITV1*.
Every England fixture is on ITV, along with every France and Ireland home game. Every Scotland and Wales home match is on the BBC (unless they’re playing England), while Italy’s 2026 fixtures are shared between the two broadcasters.
Wales matches are also available with Welsh language commentary on S4C. You can watch via the S4C broadcast channel, BBC iPlayer or S4C Clic.
Don’t forget, however, that you need a valid TV Licence to watch or stream live TV in the UK.
The BBC also has audio commentaries for every Six Nations match across its radio stations and the BBC Sounds app.
Where can you watch the Six Nations for free in France?
It’s also possible to watch every Six Nations match for free in France, where all 15 championship fixtures can be watched through either TF1 or France Tèlèvisions.
- TF1’s fixtures are available on the TF1+ streaming service, and terrestrial broadcast channel TF1*.
- France Tèlèvisions games are available on the France TV streaming service, and terrestrial broadcast channel France 2*.
Remember, though, that commentaries will be in French.
*Terrestrial broadcast channels can change, so make sure you keep an eye on your local TV listings.
Upcoming Six Nations fixtures: free viewing options
Round 1
Saturday 7 February
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: rugbyworld.com
