Italy’s 2026 Six Nations: Squad, fixtures, referees, TV channels, kick-off times and more
Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello with an inset of Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada.
Everything you need to know about Italy’s 2026 Six Nations campaign as Gonzalo Quesada’s side look to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish.
However, the Azzurri’s hopes have been dealt an early setback with six key players missing the initial squad announcement due to injury.
They are: Seb Negri, Ange Capuozzo, Ross Vintcent, Tommaso Allan, Gianmarco Lucchesi and Jacopo Trulla.
However, many of the familiar faces are fit, firing and ready to go, including the likes of the Cannone brothers, Michele Lamaro, Manuel Zuliani, Paolo Garbisi, Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has boldly predicted that Italy will achieve their highest-ever finish in the Six Nations this year, backing the Azzurri to finish second or third overall.
However, that would be no easy feat for Quesada’s men, who have three away matches in this year’s edition of the Six Nations.
They do start their campaign at home, though, hosting Gregor Townsend’s Scotland in Rome before heading to the Aviva Stadium to tackle Ireland.
That is followed by a clash with France in Lille before the tournament’s fallow week. Their second home fixture will be at the Stadio Olimpico against England in round four before they conclude their Six Nations campaign against Wales in Cardiff.
All of Italy’s Six Nations matches will be broadcast on Sky Italia, while those in the United Kingdom can catch the matches on a choice of channels listed below.
Italy Six Nations squad
Forwards: Lorenzo Cannone, Niccolò Cannone, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Pablo Dimcheff, Riccardo Favretto, Simone Ferrari, Danilo Fischetti, Muhamed Hasa, Alessandro Izekor, Michele Lamaro, Samuele Locatelli, Giacomo Nicotera, David Odiase, Marco Riccioni, Federico Ruzza, Mirco Spagnolo, Andrea Zambonin, Manuel Zuliani
Backs: Juan Ignacio Brex, Giacomo Da Re, Alessandro Fusco, Matt Gallagher, Paolo Garbisi, Monty Ioane, Louis Lynagh, Leonardo Marin, Damiano Mazza, Tommaso Menoncello, Paolo Odogwu, Martin Page-Relo, Lorenzo Pani, Edoardo Todaro, Stephen Varney
2026 Six Nations fixtures
Round One
Italy v Scotland
Date: Saturday, 7 February, 2026
Kick-off: 15:10 local time (14:10 GMT)
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BBC, Virgin Media, Premier Sports, France Télévisions, Super Sport, Sky Italia, Sky NZ, Stan Sports, Peacock
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referees: James Doleman (NZR), Katsuki Furuse (JRFU)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Round Two
Ireland v Italy
Date: Saturday, 14 February, 2026
Kick-off: 14:10 GMT
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
TV: ITV, Virgin Media, TF1, Super Sport, Sky Italia, Sky NZ, Stan Sports, Peacock
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (RFU), Luc Ramos (FFR)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (FFR)
Round Three
France v Italy
Date: Sunday, 22 February, 2026
Venue: Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
TV: ITV, France Télévisions, RTE Sport, Super Sport, Sky Italia, Sky NZ, Stan Sports, Peacock
Kick-off: 16:10 local time (15:10 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce (RFU), Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
FPRO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
World Rugby to make ‘first credible attempt’ for a global calendar after Rassie Erasmus’ pleas
Round Four
Italy v England
Date: Saturday, 7 March, 2026
Kick-off: 17:40 local time (16:40 GMT)
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: ITV, Virgin Media, TF1, Super Sport, Sky Italia, Sky NZ, Stan Sports, Peacock
Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (RA), Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
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Round Five
Wales v Italy
Date: Saturday, 14 March, 2026
Kick-off: 16:40 GMT
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
TV: BBC, Premier Sports, RTE Sport, S4C, France Télévisions, Super Sport, Sky Italia, Sky NZ, Stan Sports, Peacock
Referee: Christophe Ridley (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (RFU), Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
