Notre Dame and Villanova to open NCAA season with games in Italy
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 22, 2026, 10:00 AM
Last updated Oct 22, 2026
Notre Dame and Villanova will face off in men's and women's basketball games in Rome, Italy, on November 1. This event, conceived after the election of Pope Leo XIV in May 2025, is the first of its kind to take place in the country. Villanova's president indicated that while Vatican City was not an option, the Pope was enthusiastic about the teams coming to Italy. Both teams will receive Name, Image, and Likeness compensation for their participation in the games, which are expected to draw significant viewership and attendance, airing on Fox Sports.
- •Games scheduled for November 1 at Palazzo dello Sport in Rome
- •Initiated by the election of Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova graduate
- •Games receive a waiver from NCAA to start season earlier
- •Fox Sports to broadcast the men's game at 9:30 AM ET
- 10:00 AMYahoo Sports — How Pope Leo’s Election Led To Notre Dame-Villanova Basketball Games
"On Nov. 1, the Notre Dame and Villanova men’s and women’s teams will play each other in Italy in the first two games of the NCAA basketball season.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
NCAAM•Oct 22, 2026, 10:30 AMHow does Brad Underwood stack up against college basketball’s elite?
NCAAM•Oct 22, 2026, 10:27 AMMartina Navratilova Raises Questions After Hunter Schafer Reveals She Underwent Bottom Surgery at 27
NCAAM•Oct 22, 2026, 9:00 AMSacred Heart men's basketball lost its top 5 scorers. Why Anthony Latina is still optimistic
NCAAM•Oct 22, 2026, 5:26 AMUtes overcome deficit, force OT, beat Oregon Ducks
NCAAM•Oct 22, 2026, 4:33 AMSelf says KU fans crossed line aiming profanity at ex-Jayhawks star Bidunga
NCAAM•Oct 22, 2026, 3:31 AMNorth Carolina Must Listen to Michael Malone's One Complaint to be Elite Team