Pope Leo received delegations from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Villanova Wildcats basketball teams at the Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican on October 31, 2026, ahead of the opening of the U.S. college basketball season.
The pontiff held a basketball, received a jersey, and posed for photographs with both squads, making a victory sign alongside the Villanova delegation. The event marked a rare intersection of sports and diplomacy at the Holy See.
