U20 6Nations fixtures confirmed for 2026

More fans are tuning in and engaging with the U20 Six Nations, and now we have confirmation of venues, fixtures and broadcast coverage for next year's Championship,

In 2025, over 6.3m fans tuned in to watch action from the U20 Six Nations. In France, coverage across L'Équipe channels and platforms, saw a +13% rise in audience last year. L'Équipe has supported the U20 Championship since 2022, and the French broadcaster will build on its audience growth, by offering free-to-air access to every France U20 fixture starting in 2026 on la chaine L'Équipe, with the entire tournament available on its digital channels, L'Équipe live (TV Area on L'Équipe's Website and App).

Welsh-language coverage of the U20 Six Nations will also continue until 2029, with confirmation of a new agreement with S4C, who will cover every Wales fixture in the Championship, alongside coverage from the Guinness Men’s and Women’s Six Nations.

The rise in engagement with the U20 Six Nations translated to a 92% increase in followers across U20 Six Nations social channels, and a 149% increase in content views. On YouTube, there has been a 14% rise in subscribers, a 39% lift in video views, and 42% increase in watch time on the channel.

These numbers reflect the recognition from Six Nations Rugby that fans want more content from the U20 Six Nations, responding by consistently serving audiences with real time action, reaction and player led content. The response also aligns with a recent Ofcom report that highlighted YouTube as the second most used platform in the UK, with 16–34-year-olds driving the trend, with 18 minutes on average per day spent consuming content on the platform.

With fixtures and venues confirmed for the 2026 U20 Six Nations, fans can look forward to another exciting edition of the Championship that has launched 130 players into the elite Men’s Six Nations since 2022.

Coverage of every fixture will be available thanks to coverage through the BBC and S4C in the UK, RTÉ and Virgin Media in Ireland, and the new L’Equipe partnership in France. Italian coverage of the U20 Six Nations, as well as global distribution, will be confirmed soon.

Commenting on the 2026 U20 Six Nations, Julie Paterson, Chief of Rugby at Six Nations Rugby, said:

“The U20 Six Nations is a key step in the international pathway for players and teams, and the quality of competition is reflected in the growth of audiences and engagement from fans.

The significance of the tournament to nurture the next generation of international rugby stars is highlighted by the 130 players to have graduated from the U20 Six Nations into the elite game since 2022, and it is hugely exciting for fans to be able to follow the journey of the players looking to break through thanks to the extensive coverage of our the tournament.”

Céline Chanat, Director of Content and Channels for the L'Équipe Group's TV division, added: "We are very pleased to renew our commitment to the U20 Six Nations, it is a must-see event for all rugby fans. This right, a cornerstone of our sports offering for many years, allows us to offer our viewers the best of European and French U20 rugby.

"This partnership illustrates our commitment to promoting rugby in all its diversity, by supporting young talent and the new generation who wear the colours of the French team. Thanks to the expertise of our editorial staff and the know-how of our production teams, we are eager to continue this wonderful adventure and to continue to share, season after season, the unique emotion that this competition offers.”

Florian Grill, President of the French Rugby Federation, said: “We are delighted with this agreement with La Chaîne L’Équipe, which proves the growing appeal of rugby among French audiences. Thanks to this partnership, everyone in France will be able to follow the future stars of French rugby.

"Our France U20 team, already three-time world champions, will continue to thrill audiences, as they did when they won the U20 Six Nations Championship last year. It's also a great way to encourage people to take up rugby throughout France, in our 2,000 amateur clubs run by 80,000 volunteers.

"This commitment confirms the strength and quality of the French development system, recognised as among the best in the world.”