TNT Sports is in line to broadcast the Six Nations from next year, according to reports, with some matches going behind a pay wall for the first time.

The current broadcast deal for the tournament sees the BBC and ITV share live coverage of games between them, with the former showing Wales and Scotland's home games and the remainder of the fixtures being broadcast by ITV.

However, that deal - worth £90 million - comes to an end this year and, unlike events like the Rugby World Cup final, football World Cups, the Olympics or Wimbledon, the Six Nations is not listed as a 'Category A' event by the Government which ensures coverage must be broadcast on free-to-air TV.

READ MORE: Welsh rugby's winners and losers as new X-factor Wales teen outshines Springboks

READ MORE: Wales call up uncapped prop in unexpected Six Nations announcement

With a £100 million valuation placed on the tournament - £10 million more than the BBC and ITV have been paying - there has long been speculation that it could move to a subscription channel from 2026.

Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.

Outgoing BBC director of sport Barbara Slater said in November last year that the corporation would no longer be able to afford to keep the Six Nations due to rights and production costs going up, while it was reported over the weekend that there were mounting fears within the BBC that it could be "frozen out" of a deal to continue showing the tournament.

Now it appears that those fears have been realised, with RugbyPass reporting that TNT Sports - formerly BT Sport - are set to broadcast the championship from next season, adding it to their growing portfolio alongside the Gallagher Premiership and Autumn Nations Series.

However, ITV could still keep the rights to some Six Nations coverage and, with organisers still yet to officially sign off on a new deal, it is claimed there is still an outside chance that the BBC could still secure a "sweetheart deal" with tournament bosses. A hybrid situation that will see some matches behind a paywall and others on free-to-air seems an increasingly likely outcome either way.

The report reads: "Having impressed the Six Nations committee with their coverage of the Autumn Nations Series, TNT Sports have proven itself more than capable of taking on such a prestigious event as the Six Nations and look destined to be the host broadcaster from next season.

"At best, the new TV deal will be a hybrid of subscription and free-to-air live coverage, with ITV Sport likely to be TNT Sport’s most probable partner unless the BBC can secure some kind of ‘sweetheart’ deal with the Six Nations committee."

However, a TNT Sports spokesperson said: “While we think the Six Nations is the best international rugby competition in the world, its important partnership with free-to-air television across the UK and Ireland, but particularly in markets like Wales and Ireland, would make our involvement very challenging.”

A subscription to TNT Sports costs between £20 and £30.99 a month depending on deals. In addition to its rugby coverage, the broadcaster also shows live coverage of the football Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, as well as MotoGP, cricket, UFC, boxing and WWE.