Women’s rugby is set for a landmark year in 2026 with the return of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, featuring a record number of matches staged at national stadiums and the introduction of a new U21 Women’s Six Nations Series aimed at strengthening the international player pathway.
Riding momentum from the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 and sustained growth in global audiences, the 2026 Championship will begin on April 11. The opening round includes England hosting Ireland at Allianz Stadium, the venue of the Red Roses’ recent World Cup triumph. More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold, placing the current Women’s Six Nations attendance record of 58,498 within reach.
The same opening weekend will see Wales host Scotland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, setting the tone for a championship that increasingly reflects rising demand for elite women’s rugby through the use of major national venues.
In round two, Scotland will stage their first standalone women’s international in the main bowl at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, with the fixture targeting a new national record for women’s sporting attendance, surpassing the existing mark of 18,900.
Ireland will complete a Home Nations sweep of national stadium fixtures in round five, hosting their first standalone women’s international at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Ticket sales have already exceeded 12,500 ahead of the match.
France will continue their established strategy of taking women’s rugby to major venues, hosting a round-three fixture at Stade Marcel Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand. The Championship will conclude on Super Sunday at Stade Atlantique in Bordeaux on May 17, where France will face England following last season’s one-point title decider.
A total of 151,506 spectators attended Women’s Six Nations matches in 2025. With an overall 38 percent increase in stadium capacity across all 2026 venues, the upcoming Championship is projected to become the most attended edition in the competition’s history.
Alongside the elite tournament, the launch of the U21 Women’s Six Nations Series marks a significant development in the international pathway. The competition evolves from the U20 Women’s Summer Series, which has produced 14 senior internationals in two years.
Under the new format, teams will play two home fixtures and one away, or vice versa, better reflecting the demands of the senior championship. The series will primarily feature under-21 players, with limited eligibility extended to athletes up to the age of 23.
To further align pathway and elite competitions, round one of the U21 Series will coincide with round two of the Women’s Six Nations, creating double-header weekends in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Galway.
