Pope Leo XIV Meets Basketball Teams in Vatican Ahead of Season Opener
Pope Leo XIV met with the Villanova and Notre Dame basketball teams in Rome for their season opener. He humorously declared his neutrality in their matchup but acknowledged that, as a Villanova alumnus, his personal opinion might differ. The event…
Tulsa, OK, October 31, 2026 —
Pope Leo XIV welcomed the Villanova and Notre Dame men’s basketball teams to the Vatican today in Rome, an event preceding the teams’ season-opening games. The audience took place in the Vatican audience hall.
During the gathering, the pontiff acknowledged the upcoming matchup between the two collegiate programs. He humorously stated his neutrality regarding the game’s outcome. However, Pope Leo XIV also noted his personal connection to one of the teams, identifying himself as a Villanova alumnus. He alluded to the possibility that this affiliation might subtly influence his personal perspective on the game.
The meeting marked a unique cultural exchange, bringing together leaders from the Catholic Church and collegiate athletics. The specific details regarding the duration of the teams’ visit to Rome or any other planned activities were not provided in the summary. Similarly, the exact date of the season opener was not specified. The encounter highlighted a moment of lightheartedness and intercollegiate sports diplomacy.
Story summarized from the original created by AP via Scripps News Group on www.kjrh.com, see more information here.
