In a major coup for terrestrial broadcasting, ITV is set to become the exclusive home of England's international rugby union matches from next year. The broadcaster has successfully secured the rights to the new Nations Championship with a winning bid reported to be worth around £80 million.
A Landmark Deal for Free-to-Air Sport
This deal represents a significant shift in sports broadcasting rights, ensuring that all of England's matches, along with every other game in the Home Nations' schedules, will be available to watch without a subscription for at least the next three years. ITV outbid its main rival, TNT Sports, to secure the inaugural rights for the new 12-team competition, which begins in 2026.
The agreement is seen as a substantial boost for rugby union's visibility across the UK. The power of free-to-air television was starkly illustrated last February, when ITV's live coverage of England versus France in the Six Nations attracted a peak audience of 6 million viewers. This contrasts sharply with the approximately 1 million viewers who tuned in to watch England's recent victory over New Zealand on TNT Sports.
What the Nations Championship Deal Includes
The comprehensive package means ITV will broadcast every match in the new Nations Championship. This tournament will feature the traditional Six Nations teams – England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales – competing against their southern hemisphere rivals: South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Fiji, and Japan.
This new deal complements ITV's existing joint agreement with the BBC for the Six Nations, where ITV already shows every England game. Furthermore, ITV will continue its long-standing association with the Rugby World Cup, having held the rights since 1991, with the 2027 tournament in Australia also set to be broadcast on the channel.
Consequences for the Broadcasting Landscape
The loss of the Nations Championship rights is a significant blow for TNT Sports, which had broadcast the autumn internationals for the past three years and was widely expected to win the bid. This setback follows a difficult period for the broadcaster, which recently lost its UK rights to the UEFA Champions League to Paramount+ and was also outbid by Sky Sports for the Europa League and Conference League.
With its grip on top-tier international rugby loosened, TNT Sports is now expected to focus on reinforcing its position as the home of club rugby in England. Industry observers suggest it will likely attempt to reclaim the broadcast rights for the Investec Champions Cup from Premier Sports when they next become available in 2027.
The new tournament structure, announced last month, will see the Six Nations teams tour the southern hemisphere for three Tests each July. England will begin their 2026 campaign against South Africa in Johannesburg. The competition will culminate in a final series, with the first final scheduled for Twickenham in 2027, followed by a final in Qatar in 2028.
