By JAMES MADDEN
Notre Dame and Villanova will reportedly open next season in Rome, sources confirmed to ZAGSBLOG.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander first reported the news Tuesday.
Both programs’ men’s and women’s teams will face off in a doubleheader on Sunday, Nov. 1 to mark the beginning of the 2026-27 college basketball season.
Both Catholic universities, the two programs will face off at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome, a 3,500 seat-venue in the heart of the historic city.
Pope Leo XIV, originally Robert Prevost was a 1977 graduate of Villanova, where earned a degree in mathematics. Born and raised in the Chicago area, his ties to the city will bring interest to Notre Dame, which is also the largest Catholic university in the United States, based on endowment.
Many final details have yet to be finalized, but Fox is likely to broadcast the two games, according to reports. With both programs still working out the logistics of the meeting, two of the most well-known Catholic colleges are set to face off right around the corner from the Vatican City.
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