The routine of French viewers, accustomed for years to a rugby marathon on France Télévisions on the weekends of February and March, will change. Ordered to make budgetary savings, the public audiovisual group announced on Tuesday January 6 that it would sell “exceptionally” part of the broadcast rights for the next Six Nations Tournament on TF1. Among the nine matches concerned – out of the fifteen in the competition – are two matches of the French men’s rugby team, away: in Wales, on February 15, and in Scotland, on March 7.
“Due to the very strong budgetary constraints imposed on the company in 2026, France Télévisions, following an agreement concluded with the TF1 group, is sublicensing the broadcasting rights for (…) matches which will mainly be held during the Milan-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games »declares the historic broadcaster of the Six Nations in a press release.
If the England-Wales, England-Ireland or even Italy-England matches will be broadcast on TF1 and its TF1+ platform, the public group, “deeply attached to this emblematic meeting”assures that he will broadcast « six of the most beautiful encounters (…) including the opening and closing matches of the competition with the XV of France ».
In a tense budgetary context, between a significant 2025 deficit, the upcoming reduction in state funding (estimated at 65 million euros less), and an advertising market at half mast, the public audiovisual service is forced to tighten its belt. In December, the board of directors of France Télévisions mentioned in a press release “a hypothesis of resale of one or more public service identity sporting events”while the group was required to make an effort of 140 million euros in order to achieve a balanced 2026 budget.
“No taboo”
At the beginning of November, the president of France Télévisions, Delphine Ernotte Cunci, assured in Les Echos not have “no taboo” to reduce expenses. And sports rights did not escape the savings, while the group announced, in June 2025, the signing of a contract with the Six Nations, to continue to broadcast the men’s and women’s tournaments, from 2026 to 2029 inclusive.
“In recent years, we have worked to maintain our main sporting rights, whether Roland-Garros, the Tour de France, the Olympics, the Six Nations… But we are aware that we will have to make choices and resell part of our rights”had highlighted Delphine Ernotte Cunci.
As the 2026 edition of the Six Nations Tournament begins, Thursday, February 5, with the clash between the French XV and Ireland at the Stade de France, French viewers will have to tune in to TF1 to see Antoine Dupont and his teammates play in certain matches. An agreement that “strengthens the TF1 group’s sports broadcast offering and contributes to the positioning of rugby as the second pillar of our sporting events offering alongside football,” greets the private group in a press release. Already broadcaster of the 2023 World Cup, TF1 has acquired the rights to the 2027 World Cup and the next Nations Cups (2026 and 2028), a new competition which will see the light of day in the summer of 2026.
