England, France, and Ireland look like the main contenders, while Wales, Scotland, and Italy are fighting for upset wins and mid-table momentum.

The format is different this year: each round's three fixtures are played back-to-back on the same day, and the championship ends with a "Super Sunday" on 17 May.

Quick Picks

Our pick: England to win

Value bet: England's handicap across the tournament

Long shot: England to achieve the Grand Slam and go unbeaten

Betting Preview

England are the benchmark: they've won the last seven editions and are on a 33-game winning run, so they still start as favourites despite tougher tests ahead.

Megan Jones captains a deep squad with 1,143 caps combined, making her leadership pivotal in high-pressure openers like vs Ireland. She replaces World Cup-winning skipper Zoe Stratford, who is unavailable through pregnancy. Amy Cokayne dominates set-pieces and mauls, while uncapped talents like Sarah Parry offer explosive carries, which could make her a potential value bet as an anytime try scorer in several games across the Women's Six Nations.

France are the most likely challenger because they've been the next most successful side historically and have a strong shot in the title-deciding games, especially the final-round clash with England in Bordeaux.

New coach Francois Ratier mixes youth with experience; Manae Feleu leads scrums, and Assia Khalfaoui anchors the front row. Wingers like Joanna Grisez or uncapped Pauline Barrat provide speed for counters. Ambre Mwayembe adds power up front.

Ireland are the dark horse; their opening match against England and their round-three trip to France are the games that will define whether they can genuinely close the gap.

Captain Erin King leads an experienced core, including Aoife Wafer (2025 Player of the Championship), for breakdown steals and tries. Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood dictate play; Neve Jones is a lineout threat.

Betting Markets to Watch

As noted, England are going to be the likely favourites to win the 2026 Women's Six Nations. They have dominated the competition, winning 20 outright titles and 18 Grand Slams from 29 tournaments as of 2025 (the Red Roses have 18 perfect campaigns), far ahead of France's 6 titles.

They've secured the last seven straight championships (2019-2025) and currently hold a 34-match winning streak in the competition, their last loss coming to France 18-17 in 2018, their only loss in 51 games.

With their biggest win margins including 89-0 vs Scotland (2011) and 88-10 vs Ireland (2024), England's handicap is going to be high, but could offer value against teams like France and Ireland.

Our Prediction

Check the latest Six Nations betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our prediction is that England likely win the Women's Six Nations.

We think there's value in them doing the Grand Slam again, as they simply appear unstoppable whenever they go on to the pitch. For those looking to explore other international rugby odds, there are plenty of Test matches throughout the year to consider.

If you're new to rugby union betting, check out our European Champions Cup odds for club-level action throughout the season.