In May of 2025, Robert Prevost was elected Pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo is a Villanova alumnus, graduating from the university in 1977. Now, the Pope could get a chance to watch the Wildcats live without having to make a major trip.
It has been announced that Villanova and Notre Dame will face off in Rome in a doubleheader for both the Men's and Women's teams on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, according to Matt Norlander of CBSSports.
This game required a special exception from the NCAA to happen. The 2026-27 NCAA Basketball season is slated to start on Nov. 2, but the NCAA has approved a waiver to allow this game to be played one day before the rest of the season begins.
The two universities also have a connection to Rome. Villanova is a prominent private Catholic school with a connection to the Pope. Meanwhile, Notre Dame is widely regarded as the most prominent Catholic university in the world, and has a satellite campus in Rome.
Meanwhile, it is two decorated schools going head-to-head. The Villanova Men's team has won two recent titles, winning the NCAA tournament in 2016 and 2018. The Women's program has not had the same recent success, but did make a Sweet Sixteen run in 2022-23.
Notre Dame's Men's program has seen the least amount of recent success, not reaching the tournament since 2021-22, but did reach the tournament 12 times in the first 17 years of the century. Their Women's program has been great, winning a title back in 2018, and has made the Sweet Sixteen the last five seasons.
The Sunday games will be mid-afternoon in Rome, leading to early morning basketball in the United States. The Men's game is expected to be first, leading into NFL coverage, before the Women's game on an alternate network.
Pope Leo, who was spotted taking in the Chicago White Sox World Series game in 2005, has not commented on the possibility of attending the game. Still, both schools will be looking for an extra blessing to get their season kicked off well.
