| Timetable | 05th February 2026, 20:10 GMT |
| Prediction | France TO WIN! |
| Odds | 1.30 |
| Bookmaker | Lunubet Sports |
Match Prediction 01 of 15 of our 2026 Six Nations betting series.
Prediction accuracy so far: ⏪⏪ 88.89%.
Rugby fans all over the world can rejoice as the sport's most historic tournament is upon us once again. The France vs Ireland Six Nations clash opens the rugby 2026 campaign on Thursday, February 5th, at the iconic Stade de France.
France come into the tournament as defending champions from 2025 and are heavily fancied to back up last year’s success with another title in 2026. Ireland, for their part, endured a mixed 2025, finishing third behind France and England.
In this France v Ireland Six Nations prediction, we will take you through everything you need to know about both sides as they kick off their 2026 campaigns. From the latest France vs Ireland odds to expert tips, we have you covered. We’ll also break down the H2H records and provide key insights ahead of kick-off.
⏪ France v Ireland Prediction
To kick off our France v Ireland Six Nations Betting preview, we start with our match prediction for the showdown on February 5th in Paris. France head into this contest as strong favourites to begin their Six Nations title defence with a win against an Irish side that still has questions to answer after an inconsistent 12 months.
France won last year’s tournament, losing just once to England at Twickenham. When these sides met in 2025, France ran out as comfortable 42–27 winners in Dublin, and a similar outcome looks likely again. Ireland did win on their last Six Nations visit to France, but they have managed just three away wins against Les Bleus since the competition began in 2000.
Ireland should remain competitive for long spells, but with home advantage and superior recent form, France look the safest bet to start their 2026 campaign with a win.
Our Prediction: ⏪ FRANCE TO WIN ⏪
⏪ France v Ireland Betting Odds
Current France vs Ireland rugby betting odds underline France’s status as strong favourites across many of Ireland’s best betting sites. Despite Ireland’s recent success in the Six Nations, its inconsistent form appears to be reflected in the market ahead of this clash.
Below, you’ll find the latest France vs Ireland odds from a selection of trusted Rugby betting sites.
⏪ France v Ireland Six Nations Betting Tips
As outlined above, France are fancied to claim victory on February 5th. Given the rivalry between these sides, this fixture offers plenty of France vs Ireland rugby betting opportunities.
As part of our weekly Six Nations betting insights, we’ve selected three France vs Ireland betting tips that could prove useful ahead of kick-off. To find out even more about any offers and promotions that any of our top betting sites may have, be sure to read our bookmaker reviews page.
Tip 1: France to win by 15+ points: If Ireland revert to the kind of form they showed in France two years ago and for some of 2025, then we could be in for a classic at the beginning of February. There are just too many questions about the form of some Irish players, and with injuries mounting for Andy Farrell, it could be a tough night at the office for the men in green. France have their own selection issues with the big news that Fabien Galthié has left out star trio Damian Penaud, Gregory Alldritt, and Gael Fickou from his 42-man Six Nations squad. Antoine Dupont returns, however, as Galthie shakes up his squad for 2026.
France beat Ireland by 15 in Dublin last year, and if, like me, you fancy them to at least match that winning margin this year, you can get a price of 2.90 with TonyBet.
Tip 2: France to be leading at Half-Time and win at Full Time: If France are going to go on and beat Ireland in the Stade de France, do not be surprised if they make a quick start along the way. The French will want to put down a marker early on against one of their rivals, and I would expect them to build an early lead on February 5th and manage it for the rest of the game. It won’t be a shock if Ireland challenge the French immensely in Paris, but if you fancy betting on the French to be leading at half-time and then go on and win at full-time, you can get a price of 1.66 with Lunubet on that happening.
Tip 3: Antoine Dupont to Score a Try Anytime: France’s star scrum half is back just in time for their Six Nations defence after suffering a knee injury against Ireland during the 2025 Six Nations. Expect Dupont to resume his importance to Galthié’s plans now that he has returned, and it would not be a shock to any rugby fan if he popped up with a try against Ireland on his return to Les Bleus duty. He has scored 15 tries in 59 internationals, including 2 against Ireland in 7 games, so keep an eye out for the try scorer markets closer to gameday.
⏪⏪ Team France Form
⏪ France Six Nations 2025 Form
France were crowned 2025 Six Nations champions after winning 4 out of their 5 matches. Their only defeat came at Twickenham, where England defeated them by a solitary point, 26-25. They scored 30 tries in their 5 matches, conceding just 11 as they won their first title since 2022. Their most eye-catching win was their 42-27 win in Dublin to end any hope Ireland had of winning another Grand Slam. They also hammered Italy 73-24 in Round 3 as their attack ran riot in Rome.
▶⏪ France Six Nations 2026 Form
France v Ireland is the first game in this year’s Six Nations, but after the Six Nations win in 2025, the rest of the year was patchy. They lost all 3 summer tests in New Zealand, albeit with a very changed squad. They then lost their opening November international against South Africa before coming back and beating Fiji and Australia to end 2025.
⏪⏪ Team Ireland Form
⏪ Ireland Six Nations 2025 Form
Ireland’s 2025 Six Nations was a case of two halves. Without their head coach, Andy Farrell, who was on his sabbatical for the Lions Tour, Ireland produced their best performances in the opening two rounds as they beat England in Dublin and Scotland at Murrayfield. They then scraped over a poor Wales side in Cardiff before being outclassed by France in Dublin. Their final Six Nations game was a poor 22-17 win over Italy in Rome. That meant they finished with 4 wins out of 5 but ended up in 3rd place in the table.
▶⏪ Ireland Six Nations 2026 Form
Ireland’s trip to France will be their first match in the 2026 Six Nations, but they ended 2025 with many questions to account for after some lacklustre displays. They were poor against New Zealand in Chicago before beating Japan and Australia in the Aviva. Their final game of 2025 was a match against world champions South Africa. Irish indiscipline and Springbok scrum dominance were the order of the day as South Africa avenged their World Cup defeat with a 24-13 win.
France v Ireland - H2H Stats
The France vs Ireland H2H record spans 104 meetings since their first clash in 1909. France leads the overall series with 60 wins, Ireland’s 37, and seven draws. Since the Six Nations began in 2000, the rivalry has tightened considerably, with France winning 13 of 26 encounters and Ireland claiming 11 victories. Ireland’s most recent win in France came in Marseille in 2024, while France’s biggest home victory was a 44–5 rout in 2002.










Liam Lacey
Liam is a sportswriter from County Laois in Ireland who specializes in delivering content on GAA and Football matters (though he does see himself as somewhat of a tennis aficionado also!). Liam has written about All Ireland Gaelic Football and Hurling Championships, Premier League, Champions League and International Football offering expert opinion and match previews and predictions. Occasionally even getting some right!