Sports · Basketball · 6 hrs ago
Villanova and Notre Dame to open basketball seasons in Rome
Villanova’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will open their seasons against Notre Dame in Rome on Nov.
1.
The games are part of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a Catholic university matchup about six miles from the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV graduated from Villanova in 1977, and his Augustinian religious order founded the university near Philadelphia.
The pope’s election in 2025 was followed by a jump of more than 10% in Villanova applications during the next admissions cycle.
Thousands of fans are traveling to Rome for the games, and the pope is scheduled to meet the teams and fans at the Vatican if his health permits.
The event comes as Villanova expands its ties to Rome and the Vatican, including study opportunities and university events there.
Villanova and Notre Dame’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are set to open their seasons in Rome on Nov. 1.
The doubleheader, called the Eternal City Tip-Off, will take place 6 miles from the Vatican.
Villanova’s connection to Pope Leo XIV, a 1977 graduate, has brought increased attention to the university and its ties to Rome.
Organizers expect 6,000 Villanova fans and 1,000 Notre Dame fans to travel to the games.
Pope Leo is scheduled to meet privately with the teams and fans at the Vatican, health permitting.
- Who
- Villanova and Notre Dame’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.
- What
- They are set to play a season-opening doubleheader called the Eternal City Tip-Off.
- When
- Sunday, Nov. 1. The men’s game is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET and the women’s game for noon ET.
- Where
- Rome, 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) from the Vatican.
- Why
- The games are a Catholic university matchup and part of Villanova’s growing ties to Rome and the Vatican.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Augustinians founded Villanova University near Philadelphia.
Pope Leo XIV graduated from Villanova with a degree in mathematics.
Pope Leo XIV was elected; Villanova later saw applications rise by more than 10% in the first admissions cycle after his election.
Pope Leo said the voice of the people of God would be strong on the Villanova side.
Villanova and Notre Dame are scheduled to open their men’s and women’s basketball seasons in Rome.
- Game name
- Eternal City Tip-Off
- Date
- Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026
- Location
- Rome, 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) from the Vatican
- Men’s game
- 9:30 a.m. ET; scheduled to air on FOX and FOX One
- Women’s game
- Noon ET
- Expected traveling fans
- 6,000 Villanova fans and 1,000 Notre Dame fans
3 sources
What people are saying
People do know who we are, just because it’s the pope’s school.
We’re taking over Rome.
The voice of the people of God will be very strong on the Villanova side.
And I learned a lot about myself through sports.