The 1886 Home Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 2 January and 13 March 1886. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The 1886 Championship was shared by England and Scotland who both won two matches each.

The matches for this season were decided on goals scored. A goal was awarded for a successful conversion after a try, for a dropped goal or for a goal from mark. If a game was drawn, any unconverted tries were tallied to give a winner. If there was still no clear winner, the match was declared a draw.

England: AS Taylor (Blackheath), CG Wade (Richmond), AR Robertshaw (Bradford), Andrew Stoddart (Blackheath), A Rotherham (Richmond), F Bonsor (Bradford), Charles Gurdon (Richmond), WG Clibbon (Richmond), CJB Marriott (Blackheath) capt., GL Jeffery (Blackheath), RE Inglis (Blackheath), Froude Hancock (Blackheath), E Wilkinson (Bradford), Frank Moss (Broughton), CH Elliot (Sunderland)

Wales: Harry Bowen (Llanelli), Charles Taylor (Ruabon), Arthur Gould (Newport), Billy Douglas (Cardiff), Charlie Newman (Newport) capt., William Stadden (Cardiff), Frank Hill (Cardiff), Dai Lewis (Cardiff), George Avery Young (Cardiff), William Bowen (Swansea), D Morgan (Swansea), Edward Alexander (Cambridge Uni.), Bob Gould (Newport), Willie Thomas (Llandovery), Evan Roberts (Llanelli)

Wales: Harry Bowen (Llanelli), Charles Taylor (Blackheath), Arthur Gould (Newport), Frank Hancock (Cardiff) capt., Billy Douglas (Cardiff), Alfred Augustus Mathews (Lampeter), William Stadden (Cardiff), Frank Hill (Cardiff), Dai Lewis (Cardiff), George Avery Young (Cardiff), William Bowen (Swansea), D Morgan (Swansea), Edward Alexander (Cambridge Uni.), Tom Clapp (Newport), Willie Thomas (Llandovery)

Scotland: F McIndie (Glasgow Acads), WF Holmes (London Scottish), DJ Macfarlan (RIE College), RH Morrison (Edinburgh University), Andrew Ramsay Don-Wauchope (Fettesian-Lorettonians), PH Don Wauchope (Fettesian-Lorettonians), JB Brown (Glasgow Acads) capt., AT Clay (Edinburgh Acads), J French (Glasgow Acads), TW Irvine (Edinburgh Acads), WM Macleod (Edinburgh Wanderers), CJB Milne (West of Scotland), C Reid (Edinburgh Acads), J Tod (Watsonians), WA Walls (Glasgow Acads)

Ireland: JWR Morrow (Queen's College, Belfast), EH Greene (Dublin Uni.), JP Ross (Lansdowne), RG Warren (Lansdowne), DJ Ross (Belfast Acads), M Johnston (Wanderers) capt., Victor Le Fanu (Cambridge University), Thomas Lyle (Dublin Uni.), HB Brabazon (Dublin Uni.), T Shanahan (Lansdowne), RW Hughes (NIFC), R. H. Massy-Westropp (Limerick), J Chambers (Dublin Uni.), J Johnston (Belfast Acads), WG Rutherford (Tipperary)

England: AS Taylor (Blackheath), CG Wade (Richmond), AR Robertshaw (Bradford), Andrew Stoddart (Blackheath), A Rotherham (Richmond), F Bonsor (Bradford), Charles Gurdon (Richmond), WG Clibbon (Richmond), CJB Marriott (Blackheath) capt., GL Jeffery (Blackheath), RE Inglis (Blackheath), Froude Hancock (Blackheath), E Wilkinson (Bradford), N Spurling (Blackheath), A Teggin (Broughton Rangers)