Villanova and Notre Dame Open Season in Rome

Villanova and Notre Dame men's and women's basketball teams opened the 2026-27 season with a doubleheader in Rome on Sunday. The event, named the Eternal City Tip-Off, was organized to honor the first American pope.

The day began at the Vatican on Saturday when Pope Leo XIV received all four squads. The audience included 7,000 players, coaches, fans, and family members. Leo, who was born Robert Prevost and attended Villanova, told the crowd that the pope remains neutral on sports matters. He then noted that his former self, Prevost, held a different opinion, which drew laughter from the cheering crowd.

The games took place at the Palazzo dello Sport, an 11,000-seat arena located about 30 minutes from the Vatican. Leo, who had lung cancer surgery in October, did not attend the games. However, a group of cardinals and other Vatican officials were present in the arena. Both schools also brought their team chaplains to the city.

The men's game started at 3:30 p.m. local time, which was 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Fox broadcast the contest with Bill Raftery serving as the analyst. The women's game followed at 6:00 p.m. local time, or noon Eastern Time, on FS1. Notre Dame was the only ranked team in the pairings, entering the game at No. 13.