This combination of three images shows Pope Leo XIV as he examines a basketball he received in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, during an audience with some 7,000 university representatives and supporters from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame, including members of their men's and women's basketball teams, ahead of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a men's and women's college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
From left, Notre Dame's guards Braeden Smith and Logan Imes, and from right, guards Hanna Hidalgo and Kelly Ratigan present Pope Leo XIV with a personalized Notre Dame's jersey and basketball as they meet in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, during an audience with some 7,000 university representatives ahead of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a men’s and women’s college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
From left, Villanova's guards Elijah Crawford, and Brady Muller present Pope Leo XIV with a personalized Villanova's jersey as they meet in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, during an audience with some 7,000 university representatives and supporters from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame, including members of their men's and women's basketball teams, ahead of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a men's and women's college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Villanova men's basketball team takes part in a training session in Rome, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV examines a basketball he received as a gift in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, during an audience with some 7,000 university representatives and supporters from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame, including members of their men's and women's basketball teams, ahead of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a men's and women's college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Villanova fans wear team jerseys with the name of Pope Leo XIV before an NCAA college basketball game between Villanova Notre Dame in Rome, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Villanova fan wears team jerseys with the name of Pope Leo XIV before an NCAA college basketball game between Villanova Notre Dame in Rome, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Villanove brass band performs before the NCAA college basketball game between Villanova and Notre Dame in Rome, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Villanova's players warm up before their game against Notre Dame in the men's Eternal City Tip-Off, a men's and women's college basketball doubleheader organized to honor the first American pope and mark the opening of the NCAA season in Rome, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Fans hold a poster showing Rev. Peter M. Donohue, the president of Villanova University, left, and Pope Leo XIV before the NCAA college basketball game between Villanova and Notre Dame in Rome, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Notre Dame fans cheer before the NCAA college basketball game between Villanova and Notre Dame in Rome, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
ROME (AP) — They’ve been blessed by the pope. And now it’s finally time for some hoops.
The Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s teams are meeting in a doubleheader in Rome on Sunday to open the college basketball season.
The event, dubbed the Eternal City Tip-Off, was created to honor the first American pope.
Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV received all four teams in an audience at the Vatican on Saturday.
Leo told the teams from his alma mater Villanova and fellow Catholic university Notre Dame that in matters of sport, the pontiff is neutral.
Then the pope, who was born Robert Prevost, said his former self might disagree.
“Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now,” he said to laughs during a whooping, cheering audience of 7,000 people from both schools — players, coaches, fans and their families — in the Vatican audience hall.
Inside the basketball arena, many Villanova fans wore Wildcats jerseys featuring the name of “Pope Leo” and a “XIV” for the number.
Leo graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Villanova, the Augustinian school near Philadelphia. He was born in Chicago — not all that far from Notre Dame, which is located in South Bend, Indiana.
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Villanova fans also held aloft a banner featuring Pope Leo depicted wearing a Villanova jersey reaching out to the university's president, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, in a playful scene reminiscent of Michelangelo’s fresco in the Sistine Chapel.
The games are being played at the 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport, which is located about a half-hour drive from the Vatican.
While Leo, who underwent lung cancer surgery last month, was not expected to attend the games, a contingent of cardinals and other Vatican officials was expected at the arena.
The schools also brought their team chaplains to Rome.
The men’s game started at 3:30 p.m. local (9:30 a.m. EST) and is being shown on Fox with Bill Raftery as the analyst. The women’s game, which features the only ranked team of the day in No. 13 Notre Dame, is scheduled for 6 p.m. (noon EST) on FS1.
The games are being played on All Saints’ Day — a major Catholic holiday.
Before tipoff, there was a moment of prayer and the U.S. and Italian national anthems were sung.
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