Six Nations Rugby confirms new free-to-air TV deal until 2029
Six Nations Rugby have confirmed a new and enhanced set of free to air partnerships, to deliver live coverage of the Six Nations Championships in the UK, from 2026 and through to 2029.
ITV and BBC will share the free to air live coverage of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, offering fans access to rugby’s the annual Championship across TV and digital platforms.
ITV will show ten fixtures per year over the next four years, including every single England fixture in each edition of the Championship. The BBC will deliver coverage of five Guinness Men’s Six Nations fixtures per year, including every Scotland and Wales home match, except when each nation is hosting England, when the fixture will be broadcast on ITV.
As a longstanding supporter of women’s rugby, the BBC has also secured the media rights to every fixture of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations in the UK until 2029, with coverage spanning TV and iPlayer.
Similarly, the U20 Six Nations will be available on BBC platforms for the next four years. The BBC will also hold the audio rights for the Men’s, Women’s and U20s Championships, meaning fans will be able to enjoy extensive international rugby coverage across radio, BBC Sounds and online platforms.
RFU CEO, Bill Sweeney, said: “We’re really pleased to have retained our broadcast deal for the Six Nations Championships – men’s, women’s and U20s – with ITV and BBC for the next four years.
“It is testament to the significance of the Six Nations, that in an increasingly challenging and competitive broadcast market, ITV and BBC remain committed to providing free-to-air coverage of rugby’s most loved annual Championship and ensuring maximum visibility of our sport.
“We have worked hard to maintain Six Nations on free-to-air channels, and also achieving our financial targets, which is critical in supporting RFU investment in the sport.”
