Editing Six Nations Championship (section)

===Broadcasting rights===
One of the most important rugby union tournaments in the world, the Six Nations Championship is broadcast in various countries in addition to the six participating nations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/tv |title=TV/Broadcast |website=Six Nations Rugby |access-date=21 June 2023 |archive-date=29 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329173446/https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/tv/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 

In the United Kingdom, the [[BBC]] has long covered the tournament, broadcasting all matches (apart from England home matches between 1997 and 2002, which were shown live by Sky Sports with highlights on the BBC) until 2015. In addition, [[Welsh language]] coverage of broadcasts matches featuring the Welsh team shown by the BBC are shown on [[S4C]] in [[Wales]] in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=David|title=BBC reclaims Six Nations rugby from Sky with £70m three-year contract|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bbc-reclaims-six-nations-rugby-from-sky-with-70m-three-year-contract-184140.html|website=The Independent|access-date=28 February 2017|archive-date=1 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301093031/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bbc-reclaims-six-nations-rugby-from-sky-with-70m-three-year-contract-184140.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Between 2003 and 2015, the BBC covered every match live on BBC Sport either on BBC One or BBC Two with highlights also on the BBC Sport website and either on the BBC Red Button or late at night on BBC Two.

On 9 July 2015, in reaction to bids by Sky for the rights beginning in 2018, the BBC ended its contract two seasons early, and renegotiated a joint contract with [[ITV Sport]] for rights to the Six Nations from 2016 through 2021. [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] acquired rights to England, Ireland and Italy home matches, while the BBC retained rights to France, Scotland and Wales home matches. By ending its contract early, the BBC saved around £30&nbsp;million, while the new contract generated £20&nbsp;million in additional revenue for the Six Nations.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rees|first=Paul|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/09/bbc-itv-join-forces-sky-six-nations|title=BBC and ITV join forces to stop Sky winning Six Nations broadcast rights|date=9 July 2015|work=The Guardian|access-date=30 March 2020|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=27 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127162103/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/09/bbc-itv-join-forces-sky-six-nations|url-status=live}}</ref>

With the end of the contract nearing, speculation once again emerged in 2020 that Sky was pursuing rights to the Six Nations from 2022 onward; under the Ofcom [[Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events|"listed events"]] rules, rights to the tournament can be held by a pay television channel if delayed broadcasts or highlights are made available on free-to-air television.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Woodhouse |first1=John |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00802/SN00802.pdf |title=Broadcasting: listed sporting events |website=[[House of Commons Library]] |date=3 May 2022 |access-date=6 July 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128062622/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00802/SN00802.pdf |archive-date=28 January 2023}}</ref> It was reported that the bid for [[CVC Equity Partners]] to purchase a stake in the Six Nations was being hindered by a desire for a more lucrative broadcast contract; a call for the Six Nations to be moved to Category A (which requires live coverage to air free-to-air) was rejected.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six-nations-uk-tv-rights-crown-jewels-dcms-bbc-itv|title=UK government committee calls for Six Nations to be given 'crown jewels' status|website=SportsPro Media|date=16 March 2020|access-date=30 March 2020|archive-date=26 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226180102/https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six-nations-uk-tv-rights-crown-jewels-dcms-bbc-itv|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six-nations-rugby-uk-tv-rights-crown-jewels-bbc-itv-sky-bids|title=Pay-TV free to move on Six Nations after UK gov rejects 'crown jewels' bid|website=SportsPro Media|date=23 March 2020|access-date=30 March 2020|archive-date=24 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324055202/https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six-nations-rugby-uk-tv-rights-crown-jewels-bbc-itv-sky-bids|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2021, the BBC and ITV renewed their contracts through 2025. The BBC will continue to broadcast home matches from Scotland and Wales and all women's and under-20s matches, with ITV airing England, France, Ireland and Italy home matches.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Six Nations set to stay on BBC & ITV|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57201738|access-date=21 May 2021|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521150401/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57201738|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Six Nations to remain on BBC and ITV in TV rights renewal, says report|url=https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six-nations-rugby-bbc-itv-tv-rights-renewal-fta-cvc|access-date=7 June 2021|website=SportsPro Media|date=19 May 2021|archive-date=18 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818054444/https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six-nations-rugby-bbc-itv-tv-rights-renewal-fta-cvc/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2025, the deal was further extended until the 2029 tournament in a deal which would see BBC retain 5 matches and ITV also gain rights to England matches played in Scotland or Wales.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-14 |title=Six Nations rights deal: BBC and ITV agree four-year partnership to 2029 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c0kg15j0kl6o |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>

France, Ireland, and Italy listed the Six Nations as a major event with cultural significance and enacted national and [[European Union|EU]] laws to ensure coverage would be available on free-to-air channels.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/application-and-implementation-avmsd |title=Application and implementation of AVMSD: Major events |website=[[European Commission]] |date=7 June 2022 |access-date=6 July 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706134246/https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/application-and-implementation-avmsd |archive-date=6 July 2023}}</ref>

In Ireland, each of Ireland's games in the Six Nations may be held by a pay television channel, if the match is delayed broadcast and in full on free-to-air television.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1530604639083&uri=CELEX:52018XG0111(01) |title=Measures adopted by Ireland pursuant to Article 14 of Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and referred to recital 1 of Decision C (2017) 2898 of 8 May 2017 / S.I. No 465 of 2017 Broadcasting Act 2009 (Designation of Major Events) Order 2017 |website=[[European Commission]] |date=25 October 2017 |access-date=6 July 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519035232/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1530604639083&uri=CELEX%3A52018XG0111(01) |archive-date=19 May 2023}}</ref> [[RTÉ]] have broadcast the championship since RTÉ's inception and continued to do so until 2017, while [[TG4]] televised highlights. However, in late 2015 RTÉ's free-to-air rival TV3 was awarded the rights for every game from the Six Nations on Irish television from 2018 to 2021.<ref>{{cite news|title=RTÉ loses rights to 6 Nations|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2015/1111/741148-tv3-secures-rights-to-six-nations-from-2018/|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|access-date=28 January 2016|date=11 November 2015|archive-date=6 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106113832/http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2015/1111/741148-tv3-secures-rights-to-six-nations-from-2018/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022 it was announced that RTÉ and [[Virgin Media Television (Ireland)|Virgin Media]] would share broadcasting rights.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2022/0119/1274600-rte-and-virgin-media-confirm-six-nations-coverage/|title=RTÉ and Virgin Media confirm Six Nations coverage|date=19 January 2022|via=www.rte.ie|access-date=24 January 2022|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124214240/https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2022/0119/1274600-rte-and-virgin-media-confirm-six-nations-coverage/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In France, the entire Six Nations rugby tournament must appear on free-to-air television.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2007.180.01.0033.01.ENG |title=2007/480/EC: Commission Decision of 25 June 2007 on the compatibility with Community law of measures taken by France pursuant to Article 3a(1) of Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities |website=[[European Commission]] |date=22 December 2004 |access-date=6 July 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518191338/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2007.180.01.0033.01.ENG |archive-date=18 May 2023}}</ref> [[France Télévisions]] has covered the competition in France.

In Italy, Six Nations rugby matches involving the Italian national team must be broadcast on free-to-air television.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2012.187.01.0057.01.ENG |title=2012/394/EU: Commission Decision of 21 December 2011 on the capability with EU law of measures to be taken by Italy pursuant to Article 14 Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive) |website=[[European Commission]] |date=21 December 2011 |access-date=6 July 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521201844/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2012.187.01.0057.01.ENG |archive-date=21 May 2023}}</ref> [[Sky Italia]] broadcasts all matches while free-to-air [[TV8 (Italian TV channel)|TV8]] only covers [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]] fixtures.

In the United States, [[NBC Sports]] broadcasts matches in English.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2023/02/01/nbc-sports-presents-coverage-of-2023-guinness-six-nations-championship-rugby-beginning-with-opening-round-this-weekend-on-peacock-and-cnbc |title=NBC Sports presents coverage of 2023 Guinness Six Nations Championship Rugby, beginning with opening round this weekend on Peacock and CNBC |date=1 February 2023 |website=[[NBC Sports Group]] |access-date=21 June 2023 |archive-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624172335/https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2023/02/01/nbc-sports-presents-coverage-of-2023-guinness-six-nations-championship-rugby-beginning-with-opening-round-this-weekend-on-peacock-and-cnbc/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The tournament is also broadcast on [[DAZN]] in Canada, [[Premier Sports Asia]] in [[East Asia|East]] and [[Southeast Asia]], [[Sky Sport (New Zealand)|Sky Sport]] in New Zealand, [[Stan (service)|Stan Sport]] in Australia and [[SuperSport (South African broadcaster)|SuperSport]] in South Africa.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rugbyworld.com/tournaments/rugby-six-nations/six-nations-live-stream-how-to-watch-from-anywhere-114850 |title=Six Nations live stream: How to watch from anywhere |last=Dymock |first=Alan |date=18 March 2023 |magazine=[[Rugby World]] |access-date=21 June 2023 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621192740/https://www.rugbyworld.com/tournaments/rugby-six-nations/six-nations-live-stream-how-to-watch-from-anywhere-114850 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2024 the Six Nations teams featured in a Netflix documentary Six Nations: Full Contact.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bull |first=Andy |date=2024-01-22 |title='Rugby needs all the help it can get': sport hunts F1-style Netflix uplift |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/jan/22/rugby-union-netflix-series-six-nations-full-contact-f1 |access-date=2024-02-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In February 2024, the show was green lit for a second season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Charlie |title=Six Nations to land second Netflix season of 'Full Contact' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2024/02/20/six-nations-netflix-second-series-full-contact-england/ |website=The Telegraph |date=20 February 2024 |access-date=20 February 2024}}</ref> In January 2025, the tournament organisers confirmed that Netflix would not be taking up the option to produce a third series.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Richardson |first1=Chris |title=Netflix has canned Six Nations: Full Contact after two series – it is easy to see why |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2025/01/29/netflix-six-nations-full-contact-two-series-review/ |publisher=The Telegraph |access-date=8 February 2025}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Territory
!Broadcaster
!Summary
|-
|{{flagu|France}}
|[[France 2]]
|All matches
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{flagu|Republic of Ireland}}
|[[RTÉ]]
|rowspan="2"|All matches split between both channels
|-
|[[Virgin Media Television (Ireland)|Virgin Media Television]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{flagu|Italy}}
|[[Sky Italia|Sky]]
|All matches
|-
|[[TV8 (Italian TV channel)|TV8]]
|[[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]] matches only
|-
|rowspan="3"|{{flagu|United Kingdom}}
|[[BBC One]]
|5 matches all featuring [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]] and/or [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]]
|-
|[[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
|10 matches including exclusivity of matches featuring  [[England national rugby union team|England]] 
|-
|[[S4C]]
|Wales matches shown by BBC in the [[Welsh language]]
|-
|[[Asia]]
|[[Premier Sports Asia]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Australia}}
|[[Stan Sport]]
|All matches
|-
|[[Baltic states]] and [[Nordic countries]] (including Poland)
|[[Viaplay]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Canada}}
|[[DAZN]]
|All matches
|-
|[[Caribbean]]
|[[ESPN Caribbean|ESPN]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Czechia}} (including Slovakia)
|[[Nova Sport (Czech Republic and Slovakia)|Nova Sport]]
|All matches
|-
|[[Geographical distribution of German speakers#German-speaking Europe|Germanic Europe]] (including Luxembourg)
|More Than Sports
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Israel}}
|[[Sports Channel (Israel)|Sport 5]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Georgia}}
|Rugby TV
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Japan}}
|[[Wowow]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Malta}}
|[[GO (Malta)|GO]]
|All matches
|-
|[[MENA]]
|Premier Sports Middle East
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Netherlands}}
|[[Ziggo Sport]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|New Zealand}}
|[[Sky Sport (New Zealand)|Sky Sport]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Portugal}} (including Slovenia)
|[[Sport TV]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Romania}}
|[[Orange Sport (Romania)|Orange Sport]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|Spain}} (including Andorra)
|[[Movistar Plus+]]
|All matches
|-
|rowspan=2|[[South America]] (including Argentina and Brazil)
|[[ESPN (Latin America)|ESPN Latin America]]
|All matches shown in the [[Spanish language]]
|-
|[[ESPN (Brazil)|ESPN Brazil]]
|All matches shown in the [[Portuguese language]]
|-
|[[Sub-Saharan Africa]] (including South Africa)
|[[SuperSport (South African broadcaster)|SuperSport]]
|All matches
|-
|{{flagu|United States}}
|[[NBC Sports]]
|All matches
|-
|Worldwide
|[[TV5Monde]]
|France matches only
|}