The 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations will feature its most expansive national stadium schedule to date and introduce a new U21 Women’s Six Nations Series, underlining the rapid growth of the women’s game ahead of a record-setting year.
The Championship will begin on April 11, capitalizing on momentum generated by the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 and continued increases in broadcast audiences and matchday attendance.
England, the reigning world and Six Nations champions, will open the tournament against Ireland at Allianz Stadium. More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the fixture, placing the current Women’s Six Nations attendance record of 58,498 under immediate pressure.
Wales will host Scotland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff during the opening round, with the decision to stage multiple round-one fixtures at national venues reflecting increased demand for elite women’s rugby.
Scotland will stage their first standalone women’s international at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in round two, with organisers targeting a new national attendance record for women’s sport, surpassing the existing mark of 18,900.
Ireland will host their first standalone women’s international at the Aviva Stadium in round five, completing a Home Nations run of national stadium fixtures. Ticket sales have already passed 12,500 ahead of the match.
France will continue to stage women’s internationals at major venues, hosting a round-three fixture at Stade Marcel Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand. The Championship will conclude on May 17 in Bordeaux at Stade Atlantique, where France will face England on Super Sunday following last season’s one-point title decider.
A total of 151,506 spectators attended Women’s Six Nations matches in 2025. With overall stadium capacity increased by 38 percent across 2026 venues, the upcoming Championship is expected to become the most attended in the competition’s history.
The introduction of the U21 Women’s Six Nations Series marks a further step in strengthening the player development pathway. The competition evolves from the U20 Women’s Summer Series, which has produced 14 senior internationals in the past two years.
The revised format will see teams play two home fixtures and one away, or vice versa, aligning more closely with the demands of the senior championship. The series will primarily feature under-21 players, with limited eligibility extended to players aged up to 23.
Round one of the U21 Series will align with round two of the Women’s Six Nations, creating double-header weekends in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Galway.