Vatican Blesses Villanova and Notre Dame Before Rome Season Opener
Four teams opened the 2026-27 college basketball schedule with a doubleheader in Italy following an audience with Pope Leo XIV.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Villanova and Notre Dame opened the 2026-27 college basketball season on Sunday in Rome with a doubleheader following a papal audience on Saturday.
The event, named the Eternal City Tip-Off, was organized to honor the first American pope. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, met with all four men's and women's teams at the Vatican. During the gathering, the pope told the athletes he remained neutral in matters of sport. He added that his former self, Robert Prevost, held a different view, a comment that drew laughter from the crowd.
Approximately 7,000 people attended the Vatican audience. The group included players, coaches, family members, and fans from both institutions. The schools also brought their team chaplains to Rome for the event.
The games took place at the Palazzo dello Sport, an arena with 11,000 seats located about 30 minutes by car from the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV, who underwent lung cancer surgery in October, did not attend the games. However, a group of cardinals and other Vatican officials were present at the arena.
The men's game began at 3:30 p.m. local time and aired on Fox with Bill Raftery as the analyst. The women's game started at 6:00 p.m. local time on FS1. Notre Dame's women's team entered the matchup as the only ranked side, holding the No. 13 position.
