The Six Nations is a popular international rugby tournament, and the 2026 edition promises exciting matches and high-quality play. The tournament brings together top-tier international rugby teams, which include well-known players who compete for the prestigious rugby title. In the Six Nations Championship, every point, match, and result matters for all teams. As a result, fans have different options for betting within the 1xBet application and on online betting platforms.
The Six Nations was established in 1883, and today, it is the top rugby competition in northern Europe. The championship includes matches between England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. The tournament has had different names over the years, and it was officially called the Six Nations Championship starting in 2000, when Italy joined the competition.
There were several iterations of the championship:
|
Years |
Name |
|
1883-1909 |
Home Nations |
|
1910-1931 |
Five Nations |
|
1932-1939 |
Home Nations |
|
1947-1999 |
Five Nations |
|
2000-present |
Six Nations |
Since the tournament started in 1883, there have been many champions. England won three of the first four championships, and now it has seven titles. Last year, France celebrated its seventh win, which puts it ahead of Wales and Ireland, who both have six titles. Scotland won the last Five Nations championship in 1999 but has not won a Six Nations title yet. Italy has never had a chance to win the championship.
England has seven titles in the competition since 2000, and its last win was in 2020. In 2025, the team defeated last year's champions, France, but they lost to Ireland in the first weekend, which caused them to miss the title. As a result, in the 2025 Six Nations, England finished just one point behind the championship winners, France.
Scotland joined the tournament in 1999, but it has not yet won any titles. One of the best results of the team relates to the 2024 championship, when Scotland got two wins in five matches, and the team had the same number of points. In the last championship, Scotland won over Wales but was then defeated by Ireland.
Ireland has six wins in the Six Nations since 2000, and its last victory was in 2024. Moreover, it won the championship’s Grand Slam three times: first in 2009, then in 2018, and again in 2023. The 2023 victory was special because it took place at home in Dublin.
The Wales team also has six wins in the championship since 2000, and the last win was in 2021. England and Wales have been playing rugby union against each other since 1881. They have played a total of 144 matches. In summary, England won 71 times, and Wales won 61 times. There were also draws. However, Wales struggled again in the Six Nations, with no wins for the second year in a row.
France has a rich history in the Six Nations since it started competing in 1910. They won their first title in 1954, and since 2000, the team won seven titles. Its last win was in 2025, when France won the tournament by beating England by just one point. Today, France is a favorite of the championship.
Italy does not have any wins in the championship yet. Since their first Six Nations tournament in 2000, Italy has come in last 18 times during the Six Nations and has lost every match in 12 of those tournaments. In 2024, Italy had its best championship performance in 25 years. They nearly won against England, drew with France, and beat both Wales and Scotland.
The 2025 Six Nations Championship made history by being the first to score over 100 tries in the five rounds. In 2026, the competition takes place from February to the end of March. This year's tournament will have a new challenge, because the format has changed. In particular, the organizers cut down from two rest weekends to one. This change will likely help teams with more depth, like France, which successfully sent a backup squad to New Zealand last year.
As in previous years, the championship will feature five rounds of matches between England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. This year’s predicted winners are France or England, and bookmakers also make predictions on the places in the tournament table.
Rugby fans who are interested in betting should monitor the Six Nations markets, including the matches that are still ahead. Here are some tips for betting on this and other rugby championships:
In addition, gamblers should also apply responsible gambling principles to get a safe experience. Your chosen team may not perform as expected, and you should set limits on your bets to play responsibly.
