Pope Leo XIV Welcomes Villanova, Notre Dame to Vatican Ahead of Historic Rome Doubleheader

Neutrality reigns in the Vatican, but Pope Leo XIV admitted his personal loyalties might complicate that stance.

The pontiff, born Robert Prevost, greeted the men’s and women’s basketball teams from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame during a lively audience with 7,000 students, coaches, and fans at the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. The gathering preceded the Eternal City Tip-Off, a doubleheader scheduled for Sunday at Rome’s 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport.

“Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now,” Leo quipped in English, drawing laughter as he referenced his 1977 mathematics degree from Villanova, the Augustinian institution near Philadelphia. The Chicago native also acknowledged his childhood proximity to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

The appearance had been uncertain after the 71-year-old pope underwent lung surgery in October, but he kept the commitment ahead of Sunday’s games. The men’s contest tips off at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX, with the women’s game following on FS1.

Lighthearted Moments on the Court

An avid sports enthusiast, Pope Leo accepted a golden basketball from the Villanova women’s team and dribbled it briefly. When Notre Dame’s players presented a jersey and a second golden ball, the pontiff stepped onto the podium riser to narrow the height gap with the towering athletes.

He posed for photos with the Fighting Irish, holding a banner reading, “Pope Leo, Play like a champion today”—a nod to the famous sign at Notre Dame Stadium. Villanova received equal attention; Leo flashed the school’s “V” hand gesture as chants of “Let’s Go ‘Nova” erupted.

“He is a true Villanovan,” said women’s coach Denise Dillon. “I said, ‘OK everyone: V’s up.’ And he immediately was in with it.”

‘The Pope Doesn’t Take Sides’

After a brief opening in Italian, Leo switched to English for extemporaneous remarks. He recalled growing up in Chicago hearing the “Go Irish” chant, then pivoted to his Villanova alumni status.

“So the pope doesn’t take sides,” he said, smiling, before repeating his earlier joke about his former self’s partisan leanings.

In prepared comments, the pope framed athletics as a vehicle for character development. “No one is born a champion, just as no one is born a saint,” he told the crowd, urging players and families to view sport as a path to grow in virtue.

A Transformative Week in Rome

The papal audience highlighted a packed itinerary that extends well beyond the hardwood. Teams are slated to tour the Colosseum, participate in an Italian cooking class, and co-host a “Sports and Spirituality” symposium at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum.

Villanova men’s coach Kevin Willard emphasized the trip’s lasting impact. “My goal is for them 10 years from now to sit back and be like, ‘What an unbelievable experience I had to play in Rome,'” Willard told FOX Sports. “To have a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, to have those opportunities, is really what I’m hoping for. Kids now, at this age, they’re excited to go to Rome. I just don’t think they understand the experience they’re going to have yet.”

The matchup itself promises compelling early-season basketball, but the journey represents a once-in-a-lifetime convergence of faith, education, and sport.

“It’s something that really transcends sport, given our Augustinian mission here at Villanova and the opportunity to bring the Villanova community to the Vatican and celebrate our mission with Pope Leo,” said Villanova athletics director Eric Roedl. “To do it through sport with basketball being as important a part of the DNA and culture of Villanova, it’s going to be pretty special.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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