Six Nations news: Fixtures and players to watch as France chase record eighth title

By Joseph Terry

Favourites for the 2026 Six Nations crown, France, are chasing a record eighth title and their hopes should be bolstered by a star-studded squad picked from the best club league in the world.

The defending champions, currently fifth in the global rankings, will compete for a 20th Five/Six Nations title and are odds-on to finish top.

They will have to fight hard for a third triumph in five editions, however, with make-or-break fixtures beginning and bookending their campaign.

France’s Six Nations calendar

• France vs Ireland – Stade de France, Paris; February 5 (20:10 GMT on ITV)
• Wales vs France – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; February 15 (15:10 GMT on BBC and S4C)
• France vs Italy – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille; February 22 (15:10 GMT on ITV)
• Scotland vs France – Murrayfield, Edinburgh; March 7 (14:10 GMT on BBC)
• France vs England – Stade de France, Paris; March 14 (20:10 GMT on ITV)

Crucial fixtures start and end the French campaign in what is a lopsided draw.

A rare Thursday-night fixture in Paris, against Ireland, kicks off the 2026 tournament – a tone-setting opener that could prove contender status for either team.

France fell to a 38-17 defeat in Marseille in 2024 but clinched a slim 30-24 victory over the Irish at the national stadium in 2022, thus setting up a difficult curtain-raiser next year.

The French then face the Welsh in the first Cardiff tie of the championship, with a rousing atmosphere likely despite a poor Wales side.

They subsequently continue touring alternative home venues, as they did in 2024 due to the Paris Olympics, hosting Italy in Lille.

France have never lost at home to Gli Azzurri but did draw 13-13 with them in 2024, also in Lille, after an Italian penalty struck the post in the 82nd minute.

A trip to Edinburgh in the ‘Auld Alliance’ fixture is the last acid test before the final weekend.

Les Bleus will look to bury 2024’s controversial 20-16 victory on their visit to the Scottish capital.

A blockbuster round five clash wraps up the French calendar, with the Six Nations crown quite possibly on the line in ‘Le Crunch’ against England. 

The combined winning margin over the last two meetings in the Six Nations is a meagre three points: England recent victors at Twickenham by a point, preceded by a tight French win in Lyon.

The stakes couldn’t be much higher, and the French are sure to need four bonus-point wins, scoring four tries in each match, to have a chance.

How France have prepared

The three-time Rugby World Cup runners-up toured New Zealand in July 2025 and were whitewashed 3-0 by the All Blacks, scoring four tries only once in a disappointing series.

A changed squad for the Autumn Nations Series faced off against two-time defending world champions South Africa, losing 32-17. 

The rematch of France’s devastating quarter-final loss in their home 2023 World Cup saw the man-down Springboks pull away in the second half during a French sin-bin period. 

France recovered in the rest of the autumn fixtures, beating Fiji 34-21 and Australia 48-33, but would have been bruised by five consecutive international losses.

French players to watch

French rugby icon and 2024 Olympic gold medallist Antoine Dupont – the playmaker behind the current golden era – returned from a knee injury in November.

The 2021 15s player of the year and 2024 sevens player of the year will likely captain the side in the Six Nations. 

In the forwards, the lock partnership of Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament provides the French with superb lineout stability.

Damian Penaud continues to impress on the wing as Romain Ntamack keeps proving his place at fly-half.

Centre Gael Fickou, meanwhile, has been a rock for the French squad since 2013.

On the European stage, French players are sitting at the top of the attacking charts in true jouez fashion.

In the Champions Cup, Bordeaux Begles’ Matthieu Jalibert is leading the points-scoring charts after the opening two weekends, with Toulon’s Mateo Garcia and Toulouse’s Thomas Ramos not far behind.

Kalvin Gourgues, who earned his debut call-up in November, and Louis Bielle Biarrey are at the top of the try-scoring rankings as well.

To top it all off, the French domestic league, the Top 14, is widely considered the best domestic league in the world.

Indeed, every member of the autumn squad was picked from the domestic league.

MORE FROM JOSEPH TERRY: Six Nations news: Full list of fixtures, TV listings, and odds as France seek title defence