It will be Friday night lights with Marseille to host the Six Nations opener between Ireland and France in 2024.

France will not play at the Stade de France in Paris in 2024, due to the Olympic Games. So their three Six Nations matches will be spread around the country – facing Ireland at Orange Velodrome in Marseille, Italy at the Decathlon Arena in Lille in round three, and finishing up with a match against England at Groupama Stadium in Lyon in the final round.

Related: Six Nations fixtures

The last (and only) time les Bleus played a Six Nations match away from Paris was in 2018, when they face Italy in Marseille.

Orange Velodrome has also hosted Top 14 matches, with Toulon taking up residence there through the years, while the 2022 Heineken Champions Cup final between La Rochelle and Leinster was held there (as well as the Challenge Cup final, between Lyon and Toulon).

The last time we saw a Friday night match in the Six Nations was in 2022, when Wales hosted France in Cardiff. Les Bleus won 13-9.

The first ever Friday night match in the Six Nations was a tussle between France and Wales, in Paris in 2009. France won that night, 21-16.

France’s Six Nations fixtures 2024

Round 1

Fri 2 February, France v Ireland (8pm)

Round 2

Sat 10 February, Scotland v France (2.15pm)

Round 3

Sun 25 February, France v Italy (3pm)

Round 4

Sun 10 March, Wales v France (3pm)

Round 5

Sat 16 March, France v England (8pm)

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