Pope Leo XIV welcomes thousands from Notre Dame, Villanova to Vatican ahead of historic game

ROME - Pope Leo XIV welcomed around 7,000 team members, students, and fans from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame at the Vatican Saturday morning, the day before both schools’ men’s and womenʼs teams will kick off the college basketball season in a historic doubleheader.

Fans of all ages packed into the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall in Rome for an audience with the pope, who is himself a Villanova graduate.

Pope Leo XIV greets visitors at the Vatican, Oct. 31, 2026. The Holy Father met with delegations from both Villanova and the University of Notre Dame ahead of the “Eternal City Tip-Off” taking place in Rome. | Credit: Vatican Media

“Growing up on the south side of Chicago, we oftentimes heard, ‘Go Irish!’” Pope Leo told the crowd. “But as you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova. So, the pope doesn’t take sides. Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now,” he added, to cheers from the Villanova supporters.

The Nov. 1 event, called the Eternal City Tip-Off, will open the 2026-27 college basketball season for the Division 1 teams. Organized as a collaboration between Fox Sports, On Location, and Players Era, inspiration for the event…