Galway will host Women’s Six Nations rugby for the first time this weekend as Ireland take on Italy at Dexcom Stadium in Round Two of the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
Scott Bemand’s side return to home soil for the fixture on Saturday evening, with Connacht Rugby’s redeveloped Dexcom Stadium providing the venue for a landmark occasion for the women’s game in the west of Ireland.
More than 7,000 tickets have already been sold for the match, underlining the continued growth in support for women’s rugby and the appetite for bringing elite fixtures to regional venues beyond Dublin.
The senior international will form part of a double-header at the Galway venue, with Ireland’s U21 Women beginning their U21 Women’s Six Nations Series campaign against Italy earlier in the day.
Coached by former Ireland captain Niamh Briggs, the U21 side features emerging talent including captain Lucia Linn, Chisom Ugwueru and Ailish Quinn.
A single ticket will grant access to both fixtures.
It will mark Ireland Women’s first match in Galway since a 15-8 victory over Canada in 2006.
The staging of the fixture in Galway reflects the IRFU’s ongoing commitment to broadening the geographic reach of the women’s game and leveraging upgraded provincial infrastructure to grow audiences nationwide.
The games against Italy and Scotland later in the campaign will take place at Affidea Stadium in Belfast and the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Sport for Business Perspective
Taking Women’s Six Nations fixtures to regional venues such as Dexcom Stadium is an important part of expanding the commercial and supporter footprint of women’s rugby in Ireland. Strong ticket sales for this weekend’s game provide further evidence of demand for top-level women’s sport outside traditional host markets and highlight the value of investing in provincial infrastructure capable of hosting major events.
Image Credit: Connacht Rugby
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