Pope Francis welcomed the Villanova University and University of Notre Dame men's basketball teams at the Vatican on Saturday, October 31, 2026. The two prominent NCAA Division I programs visited the Holy See as part of their international tour schedules. The meeting provided an opportunity for players and coaching staff from both universities to receive a papal blessing and tour Vatican facilities. Villanova, a perennial Big East contender, and Notre Dame, an Atlantic Coast Conference member, represent two of the most storied programs in American college basketball.
Pope Meets Villanova and Notre Dame Basketball Teams at Vatican
