France and Ireland will open the tournament in Paris in what has become one of the most keenly anticipated fixtures of the entire tournament.
The last four Six Nations have been won by these two sides -- two apiece -- although France haven't won a Grand Slam in that time.
Paris always provides a magnificent setting for a Six Nations clash and with both the defending champions and the 2024 winners looking to get off toa flying start, it promises to be an exciting match-up again at the Stade de France.
From how to watch the opening fixture to all the team news, ESPN brings you everything you need to know ahead of the match.
Key details
Who: France vs. Ireland
When: Thursday, Feb. 5. Kickoff - 8.10 p.m. GMT, 9.10 p.m
Where: Stade de France, Paris.
Officials: Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng).
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Aus), Jordan Way (Aus).
Television Match Official: Ian Tempest (Eng).
Where is France vs. Ireland being broadcast?
The match will be live on ITV in the UK, RTÉ in Ireland, and France Télévisions in France. BBC Radio 5 Live will have radio commentary.
ESPN will run a live blog during the game, as well as providing extensive news and feature coverage.
Why is the Six Nations starting on a Thursday?
The Six Nations has tended to start on a Friday night in recent years -- including in 2025 when France hosted Wales -- but this year the opening fixture has shifted forward a day. Why? To avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
This year's Winter Olympics is in Milan, and while it actually starts on Wednesday, Feb. 4, its opening ceremony is on Friday, Feb. 6. To maximise TV audience for a game that could well determine this year's champion, it was decided to move France vs. Ireland to Thursday, Feb. 6.
While this will be the first time a Six Nations game has kicked off on a Thursday, the tournament has started on that day in its previous guises.
This exact fixture kicked off the 1948 Five Nations, when Ireland beat France 13-6 on New Year's Day.
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Team news
France: Ramos; Attissogbe, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (capt); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri, Ollivon, Guillard, Cros, Jegou, Jelonch.
Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Montagne, Auradou, Meafou, Nouchi, Serin, Gourgues.
Ireland: Osborne; O'Brien, Ringrose, McCloskey, Stockdale; S Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Loughman, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Beirne, C Prendergast, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).
Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Ryan, Conan, Timoney, Casey, Crowley.
Antoine Dupont will return to captain defending champions France for Thursday evening's Guinness Six Nations curtain-raiser against Ireland in Paris.
The Toulouse scrum-half has not played at international level since rupturing the ACL in his right knee during Les Bleus' 42-27 win in Dublin last February.
Head coach Fabien Galthie raised some eyebrows by leaving centre Gael Fickou and wing Damian Penaud out of his squad for the championship but has named a formidable backline.
Brothers Sam and Cian Prendergast will, meanwhile, start together for Ireland for the first time.
Leinster fly-half Sam, 22, has been retained ahead of Jack Crowley and Harry Byrne, while Connacht captain Cian, 25, lines up at blindside flanker to make his championship debut.
Head coach Andy Farrell has been juggling a host of injury issues ahead of the visit to Stade de France.