Notre Dame Basketball to Open Season in Rome in Front of Pope Leo XIV
College basketball doesn't start for another six months, but Notre Dame made national news after announcing on Friday that both the men's and women's teams will open next season in Rome, Italy, against Villanova in the Eternal City Tip-Off.
Hoops season starts in Rome
- The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) April 17, 2026
The Eternal City Tip-Off is set@NDmbb & @ndwbb will open the 2026–27 season vs. Villanova in Rome, Italy
Nov. 1, 2026 → https://t.co/haU4dibwcn#GoIrishpic.twitter.com/27sH2nLGLx
Both teams will play on November 1st, with the men playing first at 9:30 a.m. (ET) on Fox, followed by the women at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on FS1.
Per Notre Dame Athletics, further details, including the event venue, will be released at a later date.
The press release also states that the doubleheader is inspired by the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, who happens to be the first American-born pope. The pope is expected to meet with all four teams before the game and be in attendance for both contests.
Villanova is his alma mater, and Notre Dame is arguably the most popular Catholic university in the world.
Pope Leo XIV is anticipated to be in attendance for Notre Dame and Villanova's college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1.
- Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) April 17, 2026
The men's teams will play at 9:30 a.m. ET on Fox. The women follow at 12 p.m. ET on FS1.https://t.co/QDtJu72Xcapic.twitter.com/IuFvh6n1u4
Initial Reaction to Notre Dame Playing in Rome
There's no other way to put it: this is flat awesome.
It's only fitting that Villanova and Notre Dame, both of which are Catholic universities, are the teams playing, but they're doing it to begin the season.
And, potentially, in front of Pope Leo XIV?!
Regardless of how well or poorly the Notre Dame football team is doing at the time, this will still be a big deal and garner a ton of national attention.
After all, when was the last time the pope was in attendance for a game of this hype magnitude? Um, never.
And not only is this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all the parties involved, but it's also a chance for the players to grow their brand internationally.
Obviously, Hannah Hidalgo will benefit the most, but still, going abroad should benefit everyone, regardless of whether those benefits aren't immediate.
What to expect from the Notre Dame trip to Italy
As for the games, expect Notre Dame to come out of Italy 1-1 at worst, with the women more likely to win than the men. We'll know a lot more about each team once the transfer portal closes, but unless something drastic happens, the men are going to have their work cut out for them.
The Wildcats finished 24-9 last year while the Fighting Irish went 13-18 and finished below .500 for the fourth consecutive season.
As for Villanova's women's team, they're no slouch, but not quite as good as ND on paper. The Wildcats went 25-8 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while the Irish finished 25-11 and made it all the way to the Elite Eight.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/notredame as Notre Dame Basketball to Open Season in Rome in Front of Pope Leo XIV.
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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 2:16 AM.