🗓️ Date: Saturday 14 March 2026

🕟 Kick-off: 16:40 GMT

🏟️ Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff

🎟️ Tickets: WRU

📺 How to watch: BBC (more TV details here)

Match overview

Wales host Italy in Round 5 of the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations. With every point critical late in the campaign, this fixture will no doubt be crucial to the fate of both sides when it comes to final Championship rankings.

Recent head-to-head

In recent years against Wales, Italy have overturned a long losing run - punctuated by some famous wins - to gain the upper hand. Although the record still stands at five Italian wins to 28 Welsh, the Azzurri have prevailed in three of the last four meetings.

What’s at stake

For Wales, a strong finish at home is vital to maintain momentum and confidence at a time when wins have been hard to come by. They are desperate to repay the faith of the famously passionate home crowd, and a win of any sort would solidify their claim of being a team on the up.

For Italy, every match is a chance to build credibility and show that their development is more than incremental: scoring points, challenging set pieces, and seizing big-game moments would signal their continued ambitions of being at the top table of world rugby.

Players to Watch

Wales: We defy you to take your eyes off wing Louis Rees-Zammit whenever he is on or near the ball, while young lock Dafydd Jenkins provides physicality and line-out presence. Scrum-half Tomos Williams brings tempo and tactical acumen.

Italy: Watch for centre pairing Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello, who will truly be unleashed if fly-half Paolo Garbisi is given the platform to do so. Their pack, spearheaded by back rower Niccolò Cannone, will be vital: if Italy can match Wales’ physicality and maintain set-piece integrity, this could be one heck of a battle.

Expect a passionate Principality Stadium crowd, visceral Welsh ambition, but also a testing afternoon if Italy execute with the discipline and pace they've shown on their best days over the past year.

Game day in Cardiff

If you're heading to the game, be sure to read our handy guide to match day in Cardiff!