Full Wales fixtures for the 2027 Guinness Six Nations: two home matches at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (vs Ireland, vs England) and three away trips to Saint-Denis, Edinburgh and Rome.
The Wales national rugby team, governed by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), is one of the most iconic sides in international rugby. In Wales, rugby is far more than a sport: it is a national cultural institution, especially in the South Wales Valleys, the cradle of professional British rugby. The Welsh word "hwyl" โ roughly "passion" or "fervour" โ sums up the country's rugby identity.
Founder members of the championship (1883), Wales have won 28 titles (Five and Six Nations combined) and 12 Grand Slams, the most recent in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2019. The 2010s under Warren Gatland delivered a golden spell. More recently the late 2010s and early 2020s have been more uneven, with the team in a rebuilding cycle.
The Principality Stadium (formerly the Millennium Stadium, renamed in 2016 under a naming-rights deal with Principality Building Society), right in the heart of Cardiff, is the home of Welsh rugby. Opened in 1999 for the Rugby World Cup that year, it has a capacity of 74,500 and the distinction of a retractable roof โ an innovation that allows the stadium to be closed and turned into a cathedral of sound. When the Welsh supporters launch into Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau ("Land of My Fathers"), the national anthem, with the roof shut, the effect is among the most spine-tingling in world rugby.
Rugby is considered the national sport of Wales. The nation has shaped championship history through several periods of dominance: the 1970s ("golden age" with Gareth Edwards, Barry John, JPR Williams), the 2000s (Grand Slams 2005, 2008) and the 2010s (Grand Slams 2012, 2019, several titles in a row). Their rivalry with England is one of the most historic in international rugby.
Wales also boast strong Rugby World Cup performances: third place in 1987 (the inaugural tournament) and several semi-final runs. Domestically, the WRU runs professional rugby through four regions: Cardiff Rugby, Ospreys, Scarlets and Dragons RFC.
Wales do not contest a dedicated bilateral trophy with their rivals (unlike the Calcutta Cup or Millennium Trophy), but the clashes with England, Ireland and Scotland are among the most emotionally loaded of the championship. The Triple Crown (beating the three other home nations) is a regular target for Wales.
Stadium: Principality Stadium, Cardiff (74,500, retractable roof)
Nickname: Wales, the Welsh
Colours: red, white
Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of My Fathers)
Six Nations / Five Nations titles: 28
Grand Slams: 12
Union: WRU (Welsh Rugby Union)