RTÉ and Virgin Media Television kick off comprehensive free‑to‑air coverage of the 2026 Women’s Six Nations Championship

Rugby fans won’t miss a moment of the action this spring, with full Women’s Six Nations coverage available live and free‑to‑air across RTÉ and Virgin Media Television

RTÉ and Virgin Media Television have announced full details of their joint broadcast arrangements for the 2026 Women’s Six Nations Championship, ensuring audiences across Ireland can enjoy every match with expert analysis, pitch‑side insight and top‑tier commentary throughout the tournament. Coverage will span the entirety of the Women’s Championship available to watch live and free-to air.   

The action will kick off on Saturday 11 April with France v Italy at 12:25pm on RTÉ Player, followed by England v Ireland at 2:25pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. The opening weekend will then close out with Wales v Scotland at 4:40pm on Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media PLAY. Coverage will continue across Virgin Media Television and RTÉ as the weeks progress, right up until the end of the tournament.

RTÉ’s coverage will be across RTÉ2, RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ Player. The television coverage will be fronted by Jacqui Hurley with Hugh Cahill commentating and a panel of Irish rugby legends including Fiona Coghlan, Lindsay Peat and Hannah Tyrrell providing supporting analysis.

Interviews and features will be available on RTÉ.ie/Sport and @RTErugby. The RTÉ Rugby Podcast, hosted by Neil Treacy with contributor Bernard Jackman, will bring supporters insights each week, while RTÉ News will keep audiences updated across all platforms, including the RTÉ News app. RTÉ Radio 1 will have live commentary of all Ireland’s games in this year’s Women’s Six Nations with Michael Corcoran joined by Fiona Coghlan, Nichola Fryday, Tania Rosser, and Sharon Lynch throughout the tournament. England v Ireland on 11 April and Ireland v Wales on 9 May will be broadcast in Irish on RTÉ News channel, with an Irish audio option on RTÉ Player and RTÉ2 available. Raidió na Gaeltachta will have news and updates on games, scores and fixtures during the Women’s Six Nations Championship on Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae.

This year’s championship marks a historic milestone for Irish rugby, as the Ireland Women’s team will play at the Aviva Stadium for the very first time, with their home fixture against Scotland set for Sunday 17 May at 2:30pm, broadcasted live and free-to-air on Virgin Media One and Virgin Media PLAY.

Virgin Media Television’s coverage will be led by Joe Molloy, joined by a powerhouse panel of former Ireland internationals including Fiona Hayes, Eimear Considine, Jenny Murphy and Grace Davitt. Together, they bring Grand Slam victories, World Cup pedigree and deep coaching expertise to viewers throughout the tournament. Coverage of the Women’s Six Nations will run across Virgin Media One, Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media PLAY, complemented by in‑depth analysis from the VMTV rugby panel, extensive match reaction across Virgin Media News, and weekly discussion on the VMTV Rugby Pod. Virgin Media Sport’s social channels will provide highlights, updates and behind‑the‑scenes insights throughout the Championship.

Declan McBennett, Group Head of Sport, RTÉ, said:
“Given the dramatic nature of the men’s tournament which engaged so many we are delighted to now move to the Women’s Six Nations. We know the country will get behind the team as we join Ireland on a new Six Nations adventure looking to build on a thrilling World Cup campaign that saw them come agonisingly close to causing one of the great upsets against France in the last quarter final.”   

Brian Gleeson, Head of Sport, Virgin Media Television, said:
“This year’s Women’s Six Nations creates a defining moment for Irish sport, with the Ireland Women taking to the Aviva Stadium for the first time, broadcast live on Virgin Media One and Virgin Media PLAY. We’re proud to make every one of our matches available live and free‑to‑air, so supporters across the country can be part of the excitement, passion and momentum driving the women’s game forward. In partnership with RTÉ, we look forward to delivering the expert analysis and comprehensive coverage fans deserve.”

Link to W6N fixtures graphics can be found here: https://we.tl/t-Y9Ynl8sCVc  

ENDS  

Jade Carpenter, Communications Lead, RTÉ