France are the bookmakers’ favourites at 11/10 to win the Six Nations Championship and make up for being knocked out of the World Cup on home soil at the quarter-final stage.
Ireland, who also lost in the last eight of the World Cup, are 6/4 second favourites for the Six Nations, while England, who finished third in France, are 13/2 in the betting.
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Plenty of factors against France
The first Six Nations Championship following a World Cup often marks the beginning of a new cycle and five teams go into the 2026 tournament with new captains.
France are the 11/10 favourites but are without scrum-half and reigning world player of the year Antoine Dupont, who has opted to play sevens in the hopes of winning Olympic gold on home soil.
The 2026 Games also mean that France will be playing their home fixtures away from the Stade de France as it undergoes preparations for the summer.
Les Bleus begin their campaign in Marseille on Friday against Ireland, who are 6/4 second favourites to retain their title.
Andy Farrell’s side romped to a grand slam last year, winning all of their games by at least 13 points, but fell short at the World Cup, losing by a point to New Zealand at the quarter-final stage.
A favourable World Cup draw helped England to finish third – the best position of any of the sides in the Six Nations – but they are some way behind Ireland at 13/2 to win the Six Nations.
Scotland, who did not make it through the group stage of the World Cup, are 12/1 to win an unlikely Six Nations title.
Wales have undergone the biggest overhaul from the World Cup with just 15 players from the squad surviving. Warren Gatland’s side are 25/1 to win the Six Nations for the first time since 2021.
Italy complete the betting at 250/1 after failing to win a game in last year’s Six Nations.
Six Nations outright odds
France start the tournament as marginal favourites on betting apps to claim their seventh Six Nations title overall and second in the last three years having been Grand Slam champion.
Les Bleus have got the nod from bookmakers over title holders Ireland largely due to having home advantage for the crunch encounter with Andy Farrell’s men.
France, who won’t be able to play their home games in Paris as the Stade de France undergoes work to prepare for this summer’s Olympics, are a general 5/4 chance, with Ireland a best-price of 13/8.
Those two are quite a way ahead of England in the outright market as Steve Borthwick’s men attempt to win a first Six Nations since 2020. The Red Rose have some momentum after reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup last autumn, while Jamie George will captain the team in the absence of regular skipper Owen Farrell.
Scotland are chasing their first-ever Six Nations title – they won the final Five Nations in 1999 before the tournament was expanded.
Wales have won six Six Nations titles but are considered outsiders by firms as the national team goes through a period of transition. Losing top winger Louis Rees-Zammit to the NFL weeks before the tournament won’t help Warren Gatland’s preparations.
Italy are the biggest price of the lot having never finished higher than fourth in the competition’s history.
Conclusion
The 2026 Six Nations Championship could very well be the most exciting tournament in recent memory! The bookmakers currently have France set to win, but they have some obstacles to overcome, such as the absence of their stars and having to play all their "home" games away from Stade de France.
Ireland is also going to be a team to look out for as the reigning champions, even after failing to make it past the quarter-finals of the World Cup! England will be hopeful that they can build off their third-place finish in France and take home a championship this time around.
All three of the other five teams (Scotland, Wales, and Italy) will be looking to prove themselves. Scotland is seeking their first title ever in the Six Nations; Wales is rebuilding underneath the leadership of Warren Gatland; and Italy is looking to make strides after having a poor tournament for two consecutive seasons.
Additionally, with so many new eras of leadership and so many teams changing their coaches, the championship will likely be much more competitive than what the odds suggest!
FAQ
Who do bookmakers like to win the 2026 Six Nations?
According to bookmakers, France are the team most likely to win the championship, with odds of approximately 11/10 against them. The next most likely to win would be Ireland followed by England, who would be an outside chance of winning.
Why isn't Antoine Dupont participating in the Six Nations?
Antoine Dupont has opted to concentrate on rugby sevens and hopes to make it to the Olympic Games and compete for a gold medal in front of a French crowd.
Who is the current champion of the Six Nations?
Ireland are defending champions after winning last year's Six Nations Championship and the Grand Slam.
Will England be able to challenge for the championship?
The bookmakers don't have England as one of the leading contenders, but due to their success at the World Cup and continued improvement under Steve Borthwick, they may be contenders if they can win match results.
