Les Bleus host Ireland at the Stade de France in this season’s big Six Nations kick-off
Watch France v Ireland as the Six Nations 2026 championship gets underway in Paris. The Thursday night kick-off may be unfamiliar, but these two sides have had some memorable clashes over recent years. In other words, you can expect the fireworks to continue long after the now-traditional Stade de France light show.
The match kicks off at 8.10pm GMT/9.10pm CET on what’s looking set to be a wet but mild evening in the French capital, and you can watch France v Ireland live streams for free in the UK, Ireland and France – read on to find out how to tune in wherever you are in the world. Scroll down to the end of the article for a match preview and team line-ups, and don’t forget to check out Rugby World’s France v Ireland predictions.
Key information
– France v Ireland date: Thursday 5 February 2026
– France v Ireland kick-off time: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET (local) / 3.10pm ET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Friday)
– France v Ireland venue: Stade de France, Paris, France
– France v Ireland streams: ITVX (free), Virgin Media Play (free), FranceTV (free)
– France v Ireland on TV: ITV1 (UK), Virgin Media One (Ireland), France 2 (France)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk-free
How to watch France v Ireland in the UK – live stream the Six Nations opener for free
For UK viewers, this big Six Nations kick-off is available for free on terrestrial channel ITV1 and streaming service ITVX. The pre-match build-up for the eagerly anticipated Paris encounter gets underway at 7.20pm GMT.
ITVX is free to use, though you do need an up-to-date TV Licence to stream live TV in the UK. You’ll also need to complete a simple sign-up process to access the service.
UK-based viewers can watch free Six Nations TV coverage for all three of the opening Six Nations 2026 fixtures. Italy v Scotland (kick-off: 2.10pm GMT, Saturday) is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while England v Wales (kick-off: 4.40pm GMT, Saturday) is on ITV1 and ITVX.
Stream France v Ireland from anywhere
Travelling overseas on Thursday night? You can still watch the first game of the 2026 Six Nations championship thanks to the wonders of a VPN.
A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) has the ability to help you avoid the geo-blocking restrictions that might otherwise get in the way of watching your usual France v Ireland live stream.
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How to watch France v Ireland for FREE in Ireland
Virgin Media has the rights to this game in Ireland. You can tune in on Virgin Media One or watch a France v Ireland live stream on Virgin Media Play. Both options are free.
Coverage starts at 7.00pm GMT ahead of the 8.10pm kick-off.
Every Six Nations match this season is available free-to-air in Ireland. Italy v Scotland (kick-off: 2.10pm GMT, Saturday) is on Virgin Media One and Virgin Media Play, while England v Wales (kick-off: 4.40pm GMT, Saturday) is on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
France v Ireland live streams in France
French viewers can follow their side’s quest for the championship – and maybe even a Grand Slam – on France Télévisions, which has rights to every Six Nations 2026. Coverage is free on both France 2 and the FranceTV streaming service.
Coverage of France v Ireland starts at 8.40pm CET ahead of the 9.10pm CET kick-off.
French fans who are away from home but want to tune in with their usual French language commentary can still access their France Télévisions coverage from abroad by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
Other global streams
United States: A $10.99 per month subscription will get you access to every Six Nations 2025 match through NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming service. Kick-off is 3.10pm ET / 12.10pm PT on Thursday afternoon.
Australia: Down under? Head to Stan Sport for France v Ireland live streams. You’ll need a base Stan subscription (monthly fees start at $12 per month) plus $20 per month to watch Stan Sport – and you’ll also need to get up early for the 7.10am AEDT kick-off on Friday morning.
New Zealand: In New Zealand, France v Ireland is on Sky Sport, which costs $49.99 per month for a streaming subscription. Kick-off is 9.10am NZDT on Friday morning.
South Africa: In South Africa? Head to SuperSport to watch France v Ireland. The match gets underway at 10.10pm on Thursday night.
- Check out our full guide to how to watch Six Nations 2025 for broadcasters around the world.
France v Ireland preview
These two sides have been the dominant forces in northern hemisphere rugby in recent years, hovering around the top of the world rankings as they’ve shared the last four Six Nations titles between them. Indeed, the result of this fixture has tended to be a deciding factor in the destination of the championship, and there’s no question that France’s comprehensive victory in Dublin last year was a pivotal moment in their run to the Six Nations trophy.
Talismanic scrum-half Antoine Dupont suffered a long-term injury that day, but he’s back to captain the side this evening. The bigger headlines, however, have surrounded head coach Fabien Galthié’s decision to omit star players Damian Penaud and Grégory Aldritt from his squad – as well as the unexpected absence of tighthead Uini Atonio, who has been forced to retire from the game following a heart attack.
But Les Bleus’ strength in depth is such that it’s debatable whether the side is significantly weakened. High-flying Pau’s Théo Attissogbe promises to be an electrifying replacement for Penaud on the wing, while Toulouse’s Anthony Jelonch (who starts in the number 8 shirt usually worn by Aldritt) is part of a powerful and mobile back row.
There are rather more question marks over Ireland, who head into the championship with a lengthy injury list. Head coach Andy Farrell (back at the Six Nations helm after his British & Irish Lions sabbatical) has had to look beyond many of his most trusted lieutenants, with multiple Lions (including Tadhg Furlong, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan and Andrew Porter, as well as the suspended Bundee Aki) absent.
Their replacements are a mix of new talent like Tommy O’Brien, and more experienced heads such as Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale. But will the men in green still have enough to compete with Les Bleus on their home turf?
France v Ireland teams and officials
France:
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Théo Attissogbe
13. Nicolas Depoortere
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Matthieu Jalibert
9. Antoine Dupont (captain)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Julien Marchand
3. Dorian Aldegheri
4. Charles Ollivon
5. Mickaël Guillard
6. François Cros
7. Oscar Jegou
8. Anthony Jelonch
Replacements (6-2 split):
16. Peato Mauvaka
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Régis Montagne
19. Hugo Auradou
20. Emmanuel Meafou
21. Lenni Nouchi
22. Baptiste Serin
23. Kalvin Gourgues
Ireland:
15. Jamie Osborne
14. Tommy O’Brien
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Sam Prendergast
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Jeremy Loughman
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Thomas Clarkson
4. Joe McCarthy
5. Tadhg Beirne
6. Cian Prendergast
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements (6-2 split):
16. Rónan Kelleher
17. Michael Milne
18. Finlay Bealham
19. James Ryan
20. Jack Conan
21. Nick Timoney
22. Craig Casey
23. Jack Crowley
England’s Karl Dickson takes charge of France v Ireland, assisted by Angus Gardner and Jordan Way of Australia. Another Englishman, Ian Tempest, is the TMO.
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