Why are Wales playing late Friday night Six Nations game against France?
WALES kick off their 2025 Six Nations campaign against France in Paris on Friday, January 31.
While exciting for viewers, Friday fixtures have become a topic of debate within the rugby community. Here we take a look at the reasoning behind these late-night Six Nations games.
The simplest explanation as to why some teams play at this time — and others do not — is that Wales and France were the only rugby teams to accept Friday night Six Nations fixtures when they were proposed.
Transport issues
England and Ireland had refused, while Scotland and Italy highlighted concerns about crowd sizes.
In 2017, a Rugby Football Union (RFU) statement said: “Our position hasn’t changed.
“We don’t generally support Friday night matches at Twickenham for a variety of reasons, not least the challenges our fans have getting to and from the match.”
Financial benefits
While also noting issues regarding traffic and public transport during his tenure as Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chairman, Gareth Davies did acknowledge the financial benefits.
Friday night fixtures tend to sell out the Principality Stadium.
He also added that Friday night matches were preferable to Sunday matches for the majority of Welsh clubs.
Player performance
Former WRU chief executive Steve Phillips pointed out that matches on Friday can have benefits for the performance of players.
It can also avoid the six-day turnaround between the team’s opening and second matches.
Steve said: “You are not going to get every game on a Saturday, so it’s a choice of either a Friday or a Sunday.
“There is a commercial conversation but, more importantly, a performance one.
“What the performance teams are always telling me is try and avoid, if possible, a six day turnaround, especially if you are travelling to an away match.
“Financially, a Friday is not as good as a Saturday, but it’s probably better than a Sunday.”
TV audiences
Another driver behind the scheduling decision is the lucrative world of television rights.
We don’t generally support Friday night matches at Twickenham for a variety of reasons, not least the challenges our fans have getting to and from the match
RFU statement
Friday night matches attract prime-time audiences, which translates to valuable broadcasting deals.
Six Nations organisers and broadcasters have increasingly favoured these slots, with Wales often finding themselves in this position more often than other teams.
Impact on Wales
Since Friday night matches were introduced to the Six Nations in 2009, Wales have played in and hosted more of these fixtures than any other team.
The WRU has often defended these matches, emphasising the exposure and significant revenue they generate for Welsh rugby.
This financial boost is crucial for the development of the sport at all levels in Wales.
However, the WRU has also acknowledged the challenges these games pose for traveling supporters.
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