Villanova and Notre Dame are finalizing an agreement to open the 2026-27 season with a men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader in Rome, according to multiple reports on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
The games would take place on Nov. 1, one day before the official start date of the season, but the NCAA reportedly gave the schools special clearance.
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Given the circumstances, it’s easy to understand why.
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Pope Leo XIV is a Villanova alum, having graduated from the university in 1977 with a degree in mathematics (back when he was known as Robert Prevost). He’s also a native of Chicago, which is a relatively short trip from Notre Dame’s South Bend, Indiana campus and is home to a significant number of Fighting Irish fans. Both universities are Catholic schools.
According to CBS Sports, which first reported news of the planned doubleheader, the Pope’s involvement in the event is unclear.
The game will be played at the 3,500-seat Palazzetto dello Sport and will air on Fox, according to CBS. The games will lead into the network’s NFL coverage that Sunday.
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It will mark the second time in the past four seasons that Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team has opened a season on European soil. In Nov. 2023, the Fighting Irish lost to eventual national champion South Carolina 100-71 in a game played in Paris.
Villanova and Notre Dame were both in the Big East from 1995-2013, but haven’t met regularly since the Fighting Irish left for the ACC for non-football sports after the 2012-13 season. The two schools haven’t squared off in men’s basketball since 2016 and haven’t played each other in women’s basketball since 2018.
Notre Dame’s women’s basketball is among the most decorated programs in the sport’s history, with two national championships and five Final Four appearances. The Fighting Irish are struggling this season, though, with a 15-9 record.
On the men’s side, Villanova has been one of the most accomplished programs of the past 50 years, with three national championships, including titles in 2016 and 2018 under then-coach Jay Wright. After three tumultuous seasons after Wright’s surprise retirement in 2022, the Wildcats are 19-5 under first-year head coach Kevin Willard.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rome to host Villanova, Notre Dame to open 2026-27 basketball season
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