Virgin Media secures Nations Championship TV rights in Ireland
Broadcaster to show every Nations Championship fixture live in Ireland
Virgin Media to broadcast fixtures from the Summer Nations Series and Autumn Nations Series
Every major Ireland international game will be shown on FTA TV in 2026
Virgin Media has acquired the broadcast rights to the new biennial Nations Championship, which kicks off in July this year.
The new partnership ensures that every fixture from the new tournament will be available on free-to-air TV in Ireland in 2026 and 2028.
In addition to securing rights to every Nations Championship fixture, the broadcaster has also confirmed that it will show the Summer Nations Series, which will be held before the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and the Autumn Nations Series in 2029.
The new deal complements Virgin Media’s existing rights portfolio that includes the Six Nations from 2026 to 2029.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
Tournament organisers have now secured deals in most major rugby markets, with ITV in the UK, TF1 in France and Sky NZ in New Zealand.
The Rugby Broadcast take
This deal is another significant coup for the Nations Championship and more broadly, Irish rugby. Launching a new competition requires buy-in from fans and making the tournament available to a wide audience via free-to-air deals is a smart move to achieve strong viewership and engagement.
For the first time since the game turned professional, every major Irish international game will be available on a free-to-air basis from 2026. This is good news from a wider Irish rugby perspective, particularly in terms of audience reach and ensuring that the sport can attract new fans.