Tens of thousands of Six Nations tickets unsold amid Welsh rugby turmoil

Tens of thousands of tickets remain unsold for Wales' three home fixtures in this year's Six Nations.

The matches at Cardiff's 74,000 Principality Stadium usually sell out or reach high capacity for a tournament that has traditionally been a highlight of the Welsh sporting calendar.

But on Thursday afternoon there were 15,700 unsold for Sunday's clash with France, 6,700 left for Scotland a week later and 27,000 up for grabs when Italy visit in March, according to the WRU's official ticket site.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said buying habits have changed and tickets have been selling at a rate of 1,000 a day this week.

Numbers of empty seats could potentially be higher on Sunday with clubs, including Swansea, Llandaff North and Machen, trying to shift tickets on social media over the past week.

With tickets costing between £40 and £120, one club chairman said "it's not worth it", adding a skiing trip for his family was not much more than a rugby day out in Cardiff.

"Obviously the Six Nations is the jewel in the crown of rugby in certain Welsh terms, and for France, the favourites probably for the tournament, it's a really big match," said sports economist Prof Calvin Jones.

"I can't remember in my 30 years as a sports economist this [so many unsold tickets] happening before."

Welsh rugby is in turmoil on and off the pitch.

The team lost 19 games in a row before beating Japan last summer, while they have not won in the Six Nations since 2023.

Off it, there is a bitter feud over the future of the regional game, with the leader of Swansea council threatening the WRU with legal action, and businesswoman Hayley Parsons calling on clubs to oust the chairman to instigate a change of direction.

Jones said a Six Nations with low ticket sales would not be a disaster if it was a one-off.

But he added: "The stadium is absolutely mission critical to Welsh rugby - that's where the money now comes from given the declining rates for regional rugby that we've seen in the last 20 or 30 years.

"The WRU has done a very good job of diversifying again in terms of more concerts, cultural events and so on, but the stadium needs to work for Welsh rugby to work.

"So if this was to become a longer term problem, then you'd be really worried about financial viability of the whole game."

He said there was a need to "rebuild trust between the various bits of rugby and Wales".

Sunday's match comes off the back of a 48-7 defeat to England in the opening round of Six Nations fixtures.

Penarth RFC's chairman Sean O'Sullivan said the cost of tickets was "not worth it" for fans, adding: "As a family we are going skiing in Poland for two days and it's not costing us much more than going to Cardiff, with meals and drinks.

"This trip is costing us about 20 to 30% more than we have spent before [on rugby days in Cardiff].

"Watching other teams play is like watching a different sport.

"The excitement will be if a team like Italy does well not Wales."

O'Sullivan has seen a "steady demise" in demand for tickets bought through his club.

Eight years ago, Penarth RFC would have taken every ticket available to them, but because of the cost rising, they now struggle to sell them all.

They are not alone, he said, adding: "You have some clubs who have had to flog their tickets outside the stadium on the day."

He believes cost and the quality of performance have combined, adding: "If you're taking 10-year-old kids to the game you are going for the atmosphere not necessarily for the game.

"Its an expensive day out. You can go to Paris for the same money."

More than 50% the WRU's turnover comes from the gate receipts of the men's home internationals in Cardiff.

The financial loss from empty seats is hard to quantify, as prices vary per game and there are concessions, such student discounts.

The lowest crowd for a Wales home Six Nations game against France came in 2022 when 63,208 attended a Friday night game.

Overall, the smallest attendance in the tournament at the Principality Stadium was 58,349 against Italy in 2002.

Two years ago, the same Wales v France fixture was held on a Sunday and attracted a crowd of 71,242.

In Gwynedd, there was sadness but not surprise at the situation.

"They're not doing very well. it's a shame really and its hard to watch," said Gwenda Harding, from Llanberis.

"You try and support them through thick and thin. If you're a true supporter it's hard to take because they're losing all the time and not playing very well.

"A one-off [is acceptable] but they haven't altered for the last year really."

Gareth Jones, from Caernarfon, said he was not surprised demand wasn't high and thinks football could be taking over in Wales.

"When you see the performances they have done over the last two years it's not been too good. I wouldn't pay £85 for a ticket - it's not for me," he added.

"[Football] has grown and grown and grown. Tickets have sold out in abundance. You could fill the Principality Stadium twice over."

WRU Chief Operating Officer Gavin Marshall said: "Ticket buying habits are undoubtedly changing and sales have sped up since the start of the Guinness Six Nations, with run rates reaching over 1,000 a day this week.

"We have some of the most loyal fans in the world in Wales and we know they will be in good voice on Sunday, for the acapella anthem and beyond, to help make home advantage count in what will obviously be a huge contest for us.

"We always work hard to fill Principality Stadium to its rafters and we are confident the expected attendance will make for another incredible match day experience for all involved."

Additonal reporting by Matthew Richards and Gareth Wyn Williams.