The Women's Six Nations 2026 kicks off on Saturday 11 April with England on pursuit of a eighth consecutive championship.
The Women’s Six Nations 2026 will see World Cup winners England attempting to retain their title. In the 29th edition of the tournament the Red Roses are targeting their 22nd title and eighth in a row.
It will take some going to defeat England, who are on a world-record winning run of 33 games, but the two nations most likely to beat the world’s number one side are France and Ireland.
Ireland’s chance will come in the first round. The two teams are playing one another in Twickenham in front of a Women’s Six Nations record crowd. It was announced in February that the Red Roses had sold over 60,000 tickets at the home of English rugby, as John Mitchell’s team take to the field for the first time since beating Canada in September’s Women’s Rugby World Cup final.
- Read more: Women’s Six Nations fixtures
France will have to wait until the competition’s final round for a chance to knock England off of their perch, in a fixture already being discussed as a potential Grand Slam decider. That will take place in Bordeaux so the French will have home advantage.
Wales, Italy and Scotland will also look to ruffle a few feathers in the tournament. Wales, in particular, will be hoping not to collect the Wooden Spoon again after a disappointing 2025, in which they came last in the Six Nations and were knocked out in the pool stage of the World Cup.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Women’s Six Nations 2026, including fixtures, squads and where you can watch this year’s championship.
Women’s Six Nations 2026: overview
- Dates: 11 April – 17 May 2026
- Competing teams: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales
- Defending champions: England
- The backstory: The competition began in 1996 at the Home Nations Championship, with England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales competing. In 1999 France were added to create the Five Nations and in 2000 Ireland were replaced by Spain. Ireland were reintroduced in 2002 when the competition became the Six Nations. Italy later replaced Spain in 2007, bringing the tournament in-line with the men’s championship.
- First title: France (England won the first ever Home Nations and Five Nations titles)
- Most titles: England have won 21 titles to date and have won the past seven editions of the competition too. France are the next most successful team in the competition having won the Women’s Six Nations on six occasions since 2002. Ireland have won the tournament twice and Scotland were 1998 winners of the Home Nations.
Women’s Six Nations 2026 fixtures
Round 1
Saturday 11 April
- France v Italy
Stade des Alpes, Grenoble
Kick-off: 12.25pm BST / 1.25pm CET (local) /1.25 pm SAST / 9.25pm AEST / 11.25pm NZST / 7.25am EDT / 4.25am PDT
- England v Ireland
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Kick-off: 2.25pm BST (local) / 3.25pm CET /3.25 pm SAST / 11.25pm AEST / 1.25am NZST (Sunday) / 9.25am EDT / 6.25am PDT
- Wales v Scotland
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 4.40pm BST (local) / 5.40pm CET / 5.40pm SAST / 1.40am AEST (Sunday) / 3.40am NZST (Sunday) / 11.40am EDT / 8.40am PDT
Round 2
Saturday 18 April
- Scotland v England
Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 1.30pm BST (local) / 2.30pm CET / 2.30 pm SAST / 10.30pm AEST / 12.30pm NZST (Sunday) / 8.35am EDT / 5.30am PDT - Wales v France
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Kick-off: 3.35pm BST (local) / 4.35pm CET / 4.35 pm SAST / 12.35am AEST (Sunday) / 2.35am NZST (Sunday) / 10.35am EDT / 7.35am PDT - Ireland v Italy
Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Kick-off: 5.40pm BST (local) / 6.40pm CET / 6.40 pm SAST / 2.40am AEST (Sunday) / 5.40am NZST (Sunday) / 12.40pm EDT / 9.40am PDT
Round 3
Saturday 25 April
- England v Wales
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Kick-off: 2.15pm BST (local) / 3.15pm CET / 3.15 pm SAST / 11.15pm AEST / 1.15am NZST (Sunday) / 9.15am EDT / 6.15am PDT - Italy v Scotland
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Kick-off: 4.30pm BST / 5.30pm CET (local) / 5.30pm SAST / 1.30am AEST (Sunday) / 3.30am NZST (Sunday) / 11.30am EDT / 8.30am PDT - France v Ireland
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand
Kick-off: 8.10pm BST / 9.10pm CET (local) / 9.10 pm SAST / 5.10am AEST (Sunday) / 7.10am NZST (Sunday) / 3.10pm EDT / 12.10pm PDT
Round 4
Saturday 9 May
- Italy v England
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Kick-off: 2.00pm BST / 3.00pm CET (local) / 3.00 pm SAST / 11.00pm AEST / 1.00am NZST (Sunday) / 9.00am EDT / 6.00am PDT - Scotland v France
Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 4.15pm BST (local) / 5.15pm CET / 5.15pm SAST / 1.15am AEST (Sunday) / 3.15am NZST (Sunday) / 11.15am EDT / 8.15am PDT - Ireland v Wales
Affidea Stadium, Belfast
Kick-off: 6.30pm BST (local) / 7.30pm CET / 7.30pm SAST / 3.30am AEST (Sunday) / 5.30am NZST (Sunday) / 1.30pm EDT / 10.30am PDT
Round 5
Sunday 17 May
- Wales v Italy
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Kick-off: 12.15pm BST (local) / 1.15pm CET /1.15 pm SAST / 9.15pm AEST / 11.15pm NZST / 7.15am EDT / 4.15am PDT - Ireland v Scotland
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 2.30pm BST (local) / 3.30pm CET / 3.30pm SAST / 11.30pm AEST/ 1.30am NZST (Monday) / 9.30am EDT / 6.30am PDT - France v England
Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux
Kick-off: 4.45pm BST / 5.45pm CET (local) / 5.45pm SAST / 1.45am AEST (Monday) / 3.45am NZST (Monday) / 11.45am EDT / 8.45am PDT
France v England, the final game of the 2026 Women’s Six Nations, has been tipped as a potential Grand Slam decider (David Rogers/Getty Images)
Women’s Six Nations 2026 results
This section will be updated as the tournament plays out.
Women’s Six Nations 2026 TV coverage
The BBC has sole rights to the Guinness Women’s Six Nations across the United Kingdom and live streams every fixture (for free) on the iPlayer service. Selected matches are also available on terrestrial broadcast channels BBC One and BBC Two.
There is also free coverage of the tournament available in Ireland via RTÉ and Virgin Media, and in France through France TV.
Women’s Six Nations 2026 squads
England
Forwards
Christiana Balogun (Bristol Bears), Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears), Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears), Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women), May Campbell (Saracens), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Amy Cokayne (Sale Sharks – vice captain), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs), Lizzie Hanlon (Harlequins), Daisy Hibbert-Jones (Loughborough Lightning), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), Haineala Lutui (Loughborough Lightning), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury – vice captain), Annabel Meta (Trailfinders Women), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Connie Powell (Harlequins), Demelza Short (Bristol Bears), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Jodie Verghese (Saracens)
Backs
Holly Aitchison (Sale Sharks), Jess Breach (Saracens), Millie David (Bristol Bears), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Megan Jones (Trailfinders Women – captain), Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins), Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Lucy Packer (Harlequins), Sarah Parry (Harlequins), Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury), Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury), Bo Westcombe-Evans (Loughborough Lightning)
France
Forwards
Rose Bernadou (Montpellier RC), Axelle Berthoumieu (Stade Bordelais), Yllana Brosseau (ASM Romagnat), Léa Champon (FC Grenoble Amazones), Khoudedia Cissokho (Stade Bordelais), Cloé Correa (Stade Toulousain), Annaëlle Deshaye (Stade Bordelais), CharlotteEscudero (Stade Toulousain), Madoussou Fall Raclot (Bordelais Stadium), Manae Feleu (FC Grenoble Amazones – captain), Assia Khalfaoui (Asm Romagnat), Mathilde Lazarko (Asm Romagnat), Maïlys Mailagi (Stade Bordelais), Ambre Mwayembe (Stade Toulousain), Elsa Peyras (Stade Bordelais), Elisa Riffonneau (FC Grenoble Amazones), Siobhan Soqeta (FC Grenoble Amazones), Kiara Zago (Stade Toulousain),
Backs
Carla Arbez (Stade Bordelais), Pauline Barrat (Stade Toulousain), Emilie Boulard (Blagnac RF), Pauline Bourdon Sansus (Stade Toulousain), Morgane Bourgeois (Stade Bordelais), Alexandra Chambon (ASM Romagnat), Anais Grando (ASM Romagnat), Joanna Grisez (Stade Bordelais), Marie Ibanez (Stade Bordelais), Louen Laramy (Montpellier RC), Léa Murie (Stade Toulousain), Lina Queyroi (Stade Toulousain), Aubane Rousset (Stade Bordelais), Gabrielle Vernier (Blagnac RF)
Ireland
Forwards
Jemima Adams Verling (Connacht), Sophie Barrett (Ulster), Beth Buttimer (Munster), Eilis Cahill (Munster), Ruth Campbell (Leinster), Jane Clohessy (Munster), Linda Djougang (Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Ulster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Erin King (Leinster – captain), Aoibheann McGrath (Munster), Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster), Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women), Niamh O’Dowd (Leinster), Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury), Ailish Quinn (Connacht), Fiona Tuite (Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Munster)
Backs
Alana McInerney (Munster), Anna McGann (Connacht), Aoibheann Reilly (Connacht), Aoife Dalton (Leinster), Beibhinn Parsons (Connacht), Caitriona Finn (Munster), Dannah O’Brien (Leinster), Emily Lane (Munster), Enya Breen (Munster), Eve Higgins (Leinster), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs), Niamh Gallagher (Trailfinders Women), Robyn O’Connor (Leinster), Stacey Flood (Leinster), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Leinster)
Italy
Forwards
Francesca Andreoli (Rugby Colorno), Elettra Costantini (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Chiara Cheli (Rugby Colorno), Gaia Dosi (Rugby Colorno), Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Elena Errichiello (Unione Rugby Capitolina), Valeria Fedrighi (Rugby Colorno), Alessandra Frangipani (Villorba Rugby), Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova – captain), Gaia Maris (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Alessia Pilani (Stade Bordelais Rugby), Alissa Ranuccini (LOU Rugby), Francesca Sgorbini (ASM Clermont Rugby), Desiree Spinelli (Benetton Rugby Treviso), Silvia Turani (Harlequins), Vittoria Vecchini (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Beatrice Veronese (RC Toulon), Vittoria Zanette (LOU Rugby)
Backs
Natascia Aggio (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Alia Bitonci (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Gaia Buso (Villorba Rugby), Micol Cavina (AC Bobigny), Giada Corradini (Montpellier Herault Rugby), Alyssa D’incà (Blagnac Rugby), Francesca Granzotto (Exeter Chiefs), Rubina Grassi (RC Toulon), Veronica Madia (Blagnac Rugby), Sara Mannini (Rugby Colorno), Aura Muzzo (LOU Rugby), Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Gabriella Serio (Rugby Colorno), Michela Sillari (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Sofia Stefan (RC Toulon), Emma Stevanin (Valsugana Rugby Padova)
Scotland
Forwards
Leah Bartlett (Sale Sharks), Holland Bogan (Glasgow Warriors), Becky Boyd (Loughborough Lightning), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears), Emily Coubrough (Glasgow Warriors), Hollie Cunningham (Bristol Bears), Eva Donaldson (Sale Sharks), Poppy Fletcher (Glasgow Warriors), Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears), Rachel Malcolm (Trailfinders Women – captain), Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning), Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier), Louise McMillan (Saracens), Molly Poolman (Edinburgh Rugby), Aila Ronald (Edinburgh Rugby), Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears), Imogen Spence (Glasgow Warriors), Alex Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby), Aicha Sutcliffe (Glasgow Warriors), Emma Wassell (Trailfinders Women), Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning)
Backs
Ceitidh Ainsworth (Glasgow Warriors), Leia Brebner-Holden (Loughborough Lightning), Shona Campbell (Sale Sharks), Rhea Clarke (Bristol Bears), Rianna Darroch (Glasgow Warriors), Coreen Grant (Harlequins), Rhona Lloyd (Sale Sharks), Francesca McGhie (Trailfinders Women), Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Emma Orr (Bristol Bears), Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks), Hannah Ramsay (Edinburgh Rugby), Chloe Rollie (Toulon Provence Méditerranée), Lucia Scott (Loughborough Lightning), Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears), Hannah Walker (Edinburgh Rugby), Evie Wills (Sale Sharks)
Wales
Forwards
Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), Maisie Davies (Bristol Bears), Katherine Baverstock (Leicester Tigers), Stella Orrin (Brython Thunder), Sisilia Tuipulotu (Gloucester-Hartpury), Donna Rose (Saracens), Elan Jones (Brython Thunder), Jenni Scoble (Gwalia Lightning), Kelsey Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Molly Reardon (Gwalia Lightning), Carys Phillips (Harlequins), Kendall Waudby (Loughborough Lightning), Gwen Crabb (Brython Thunder), Tilly Vucaj (Gwalia Lightning), Alaw Pyrs (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natalia John (Brython Thunder), Kate Williams Gloucester-Hartpury – captain), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester-Hartpury), Bryonie King (Gwalia Lightning), Jorja Aiono (Gloucester-Hartpury), Branwen Metcalfe (Gloucester-Hartpury), Georgia Evans (Saracens), Alisha Joyce (Bristol Bears)
Backs
Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears), Sian Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Seren Lockwood (Gloucester-Hartpury), Lleucu George (Gloucester-Hartpury), Kayleigh Powell (Harlequins), Courtney Keight (Sale Sharks), Hannah Dallavalle (Gloucester-Hartpury), Jenna De Vera (Bristol Bears), Savannah Picton-Powell (Bristol Bears), Kelsie Webster (Gwalia Lightning), Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears), Lisa Neumann (Harlequins), Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders), Nikita Prothero (Sale Sharks), Seren Singleton (Brython Thunder)
Previous Women’s Six Nations winners
Here is every winner of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations since 2002.
2002 – France (Grand Slam)
2003 – England (Grand Slam)
2004 – France (Grand Slam)
2005 – France (Grand Slam)
2006 – England (Grand Slam)
2007 – England (Grand Slam)
2008 – England (Grand Slam)
2009 – England
2010 – England (Grand Slam)
2011 – England (Grand Slam)
2012 – England (Grand Slam)
2013 – Ireland (Grand Slam)
2014 – France (Grand Slam)
2015 – Ireland
2016 – France
2017 – England (Grand Slam)
2018 – France (Grand Slam)
2019 – England (Grand Slam)
2020 – England (Grand Slam)
2021 – England
2022 – England (Grand Slam)
2023 – England (Grand Slam)
2024 – England (Grand Slam)
2025 – England (Grand Slam)
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