Wales vs France: Six Nations 2026: Kick-off time, TV channel, live stream, team news, lineups, h2h results, odds

These two sides arrive in Cardiff in drastically different form, with Les Bleus comfortably downing injury-hit Ireland in last week’s home tournament opener to begin their latest title defence in style.

That marked a 12th straight Six Nations loss, with Sunday representing the 1,072nd day since Wales’ last home win in the competition.

It is the sort of poor form that means a visit by high-flying France – the favourites to defend their crown and win a Grand Slam – is far from the ideal fixture for Steve Tandy in only his second Six Nations match as head coach.

Wales vs France takes place on Sunday February 15, 2026 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Kick-off is scheduled for 3:10pm GMT, which is 4:10pm in France.

TV channel: In the UK, Wales vs France is being shown live and free to air on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 2:30pm GMT.

Live stream: Fans can also watch the game live online via the BBC Sport website and app, and the BBC iPlayer.

France have made two changes to the side that brushed aside Ireland, with centres Nicolas Depoortere (calf) and Yoram Moefana (knee) both now sidelined.

With no Kalvin Gourgues (ankle) either and the likes of Gael Fickou omitted from the Six Nations squad entirely, Pau’s Fabien Brau-Boirie, 20, makes his Test debut at 12 alongside 11-cap club team-mate Emilien Gailleton.

Les Bleus’ starting XV is otherwise unchanged, with Thomas Ramos, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Theo Attissogbe in a potent back three, while Matthieu Jalibert and star captain Antoine Dupont are the half-backs.

Jean-Baptiste Gros and Dorian Aldegheri pack down at prop either side of hooker Julien Marchand, while Charles Ollivon again partners Mickael Guillard at lock.

In the back row, Francois Cros and Oscar Jegou are the flankers, with Anthony Jelonch at No8.

There are three changes on the France bench, with Maxime Lamothe, Thibaud Flament and uncapped centre Noah Nene replacing Peato Mauvaka, Hugo Auradou and Gourgues.

Wales assistant Matt Sherratt said on Wednesday that the hosts have no injuries to report from last weekend’s loss to England, but Tandy has elected to make four changes to his XV announced on Friday morning following last week’s damaging defeat to England.

In come No8 Olly Cracknell, loose-head Rhys Carre, tight-head Tomas Francis and centre Joe Hawkins, with hooker Ryan Elias and fly-half Jarrod Evans joining the matchday 23 as replacements.

Nicky Smith drops to the bench in favour of Carre and Archie Griffin also joins the substitutes with Francis making his first international start since the 2023 World Cup, having returned to the fold off the bench against England following three seasons plying his trade in France.

Hawkins takes the place of Ben Thomas, who drops out of the 23 entirely, while Aaron Wainwright is shifted to the No6 jersey with Alex Mann taking the No7 from Josh Macleod, who misses out.

For replacement hooker Elias, any appearance would be his first under Tandy after elbow surgery ruled him out of the autumn internationals. Liam Belcher drops out of the matchday squad to accommodate him, with Wales reverting to a 5-3 bench split after having six forward replacements – as France will do – last time out.

Wales XV: Rees-Zammit; Mee, James, Hawkins, Adams; Edwards, Williams; Carre, Lake (c), Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Wainwright, Mann, Cracknell

Replacements: Elias, Smith, Griffin, Carter, Plumtree, Hardy, J Evans, Grady

France XV: Ramos; Attissogbe, Gailleton, Brau-Boirie, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (c); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri; Ollivon, Guillard; Cros, Jegou, Jelonch

Replacements: Lamothe, Neti, Montagne, Flament, Meafou, Nouchi, Serin, Nene

There have been 105 previous instalments of this match-up and the head-to-head record currently stands at a perfectly even 51 wins each, plus three draws.

The Welsh dominated the early days of this contest, but France slowly began to claw their way back in the Five Nations Championship during the second half of the last century.

Since the Six Nations began, meanwhile, Les Bleus have the advantage both in terms of wins against Wales and overall titles, leading the latter stat by seven to six following their victory last year.

France have also won the last seven straight Test matches between these two countries since Wales narrowly triumphed in the 2019 World Cup quarter-finals, including a 43-0 thrashing to begin the 2025 Six Nations.

Up against the defending Six Nations champions, it’s hard to see anything coming from this Cardiff meeting but another heavy defeat for Wales.

If that must be the case, Tandy will hope the margin is not as severe as it was against England last weekend or indeed against this opponent last year.

However, his team will have to put some points of their own on the board as France – having made relatively light work of Ireland – will undoubtedly rack up their fair share of tries as they seek another bonus-point win.

France to win, by 40 points.

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).