France v Italy Six Nations Prediction, Betting Odds & Match Tips
| Timetable | 22nd February 2026, 15:10 GMT |
| Prediction | France TO WIN! |
| Odds | 1.01 |
| Bookmaker | Lunubet Sports |
The 3 best bookmakers to bet with
18+ | New players only | Min. deposit €20 | Max number of winnings using bonus funds is €10,000 | Bonus validity 14 days from receipt | Free spins given within 5 days from bonus activation, Wagering req. : 6x bonus + deposit | Wagering, banking, T&C apply | Play Responsibly
18+ | New players only | Min. deposit €10 | Max number of winnings using bonus funds is €10,000 | Bonus validity 14 days from receipt | Wagering req. : 16x bonus | Wagering, banking, T&C apply | Play Responsibly
18+ | New players only | Min. deposit €10 | Wagering, banking, T&C apply. | Play Responsibly | www.gambleaware.org
France will look to continue their quest for a Grand Slam title when they welcome Italy to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on Sunday, February 22nd. France have opened their 2026 Six Nations Championship with convincing wins over Ireland and Wales, while the Italians beat Scotland in their opening match. Gonzalo Quesada’s men then nearly earned their first-ever Six Nations win in Dublin in Round 2, narrowly going down 20-13 against Ireland.
In this France v Italy preview we will look ahead to this Round 3 match, giving readers the latest France v Italy betting odds as well as some France v Italy betting tips before kick-off on February 22nd.
We will also give you our very own France v Italy prediction as we look ahead to another exciting weekend of Six Nations rugby.
⏪ France v Italy Prediction
To kick off our 2026 Six Nations betting, we are now going to give you our France v Italy Six Nations prediction ahead of this Round 3 match.
France came into this year’s tournament as favourites for the title, and to date, they have looked a level above everyone else in the competition. They routinely dismantled Ireland in Round 1, 36-14, before hammering Wales 54-12 in Round 2.
The French head into their round 3 clash with Italy as the only side still capable of winning a Grand Slam, and with the form they are showing, few would put it past them at this stage. So far, they have looked imperious in all aspects of their play, blooding new players in both their opening games, with each looking like a potential superstar for Les Bleus. Their backline in particular has looked impressive, with Louis Bialle Biarrey shining against Ireland, while his fellow winger Theo Attissogbe, stepped up against Wales.
Italy, for their part, have also looked good in their opening games. They beat Scotland in awful conditions in Rome during Round 1 before losing in Dublin, despite playing some exciting rugby and leaving some good try opportunities behind them.
It will be interesting to see how Italy measures up in this 2026 Six Nations meeting of France and Italy after their positive start. France will certainly be levels above what they have faced, and given the form this fresh and youthful French side has shown to date, it’s hard to look past anything other than another French win.
For the Italian’s sake let’s hope it’s nothing like last year’s 73-24 hammering, but if France play like they have in their opening 2 matches, it should still be comfortable enough for Fabien Galthié's men. Therefore, our France v Italy Six Nations prediction is another comfortable win for Grand Slam-chasing France.
Our Prediction: ⏪ FRANCE TO WIN ⏪
⏪ France v Italy Betting Odds
When we look at the latest France v Italy odds ahead of this 2026 France v Italy meeting, it’s clear that France go into the match as very heavy favourites with Ireland’s top online sportsbooks. Italy may have drawn with France the last time they played each other in Stade Pierre-Mauroy back in 2024, but this appears to be a different French team now.
The same could be said of Italy too, of course, but whether they have enough to handle this current crop of French superstars is pretty doubtful. The betting with many of the top rugby bookies suggests that Italy will do well to even lay a glove on France in Lille, and that is our opinion also.
We fully expect France to continue on their title charge on February 22nd, and below, you will find the latest France v Italy betting odds with a selection of online sportsbooks.
⏪ France v Italy Six Nations Betting Tips
As has been mentioned above, we strongly fancy France to get the win over Italy in Lille on February 22nd. With that in mind, our France v Italy betting tips reflect the confidence we have in a French win.
Before having a bet on this game, why not check out our betting site reviews page? Here, you will find out even more about any of our betting sites.
Tip 1: France Handicap – 33.5: As well as Italy have been playing, it is hard to look past anything other than a comfortable win for France in Lille. So far the French have looked devastating in attack with their backline the envy of almost any other nation in world rugby. If France start as fast as they have in their games with Ireland and Wales, it could be a long Sunday afternoon for Italy. To bet on France -33.5 you can get a price of 2.07 with TonyBet.
Tip 2: France Half Time/Full Time: Interestingly, the last time Italy visited Lille to play France, they were unlucky not to come away with a win. They drew 13-13 in the end, missing a kick to win the match, but it is hard to see the same result happening again. France will look to pile on the pressure early with their slick hands and offloading game, and if they can get in early and build the lead, it is hard to see anyone getting back into it these days, let alone Italy. You can get a price of 1.07 with Lunubet on France leading at half time and winning the game.
Tip 3: France to Score First: Again, our final tip is to do with France striking early against Italy. This 2026 France v Italy Six Nations meeting should be more exciting than others that have come before it, but nevertheless France should be too good for their Italian counterparts. With the attacking ability France have, they can score from just about anywhere, at any time, so you can expect them to try and hit Italy with an early flurry. This looks like a smart, sensible bet, and if you agree, you can get a price of 1.30 with Lunubet on France scoring first.
⏪⏪ Team France Form
⏪ France Six Nations 2025 Form
France were crowned the 2025 Six Nations champions after winning 4 out of their 5 matches during last year’s Championship. The only blot on their tournament was the 26-25 loss in Twickenham, with the highlight being their destructive 42-27 win in Dublin against back-to-back champions Ireland. They ultimately finished 1 point ahead of England as a result of scoring one more bonus point than the English.
▶⏪ France Six Nations 2026 Form
After last year’s success, France entered the 2026 campaign as favourites to go back-to-back. Their form so far has backed up the confidence about France, as they have had 2 comfortable wins in their opening 2 matches. A 36-14 win over Ireland was followed by a 54-12 win in Cardiff, with Fabien Galthié's men now the only side capable of winning a Grand Slam this season.
⏪⏪ Team Italy Form
⏪ Italy Six Nations 2025 Form
Italy only avoided the 2025 wooden spoon by virtue of beating Wales in their only win of the 2025 Six Nations. They were hammered 73-24 by their next opponents, France, while they were also beaten 47-24 by England. Scotland and Ireland also enjoyed wins over Italy, as they finished 5th in the table on 5 points.
▶⏪ Italy Six Nations 2026 Form
Italy have certainly backed up the strong form they showed at the back end of 2025 by starting strong in this year’s Six Nations. They began with a hard-fought 18-15 win over Scotland in a drenched Stadio Olimpico before nearly earning their first Six Nations win in Dublin against Ireland. The Italians will feel that they left that game behind them, ultimately coming out on the wrong side of a 20-13 defeat.
France v Italy - H2H Stats
France and Italy have met 50 times during their shared rugby union history, with the France v Italy h2h record reading 46 wins for France, 3 wins for Italy and 1 drawn match. The 1 tie between the teams came in 2024 at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, the venue for this 2026 Six Nations France v Italy clash. France’s biggest Six Nations win over Italy came during the 2025 Championship, when they won 73-24 in Rome, while Italy’s biggest Six Nations win over France was a 23-18 win during the 2013 Six Nations. That 2013 win is Italy’s last triumph over France, with Les Bleus currently on a 16-match unbeaten run against the Azzurri in all competitions.
Below, you will find a table with the results of the last 3 encounters between the two teams.
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!