Pope Leo XIV teases college basketball allegiance for Villanova-Notre Dame game

· Yahoo Sports

Pope Leo XIV is in a unique position this weekend when the Villanova Wildcats face off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on the court. The two prominent college basketball programs are set to meet in Rome, Italy to begin the 2026-27 season, and it’s putting the religious figure in a difficult spot.

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The 267th documented Pope joked with college basketball fans about where his fandom lies before Villanova-Notre Dame’s game.

“Growing up on the south side of Chicago, we oftentimes heard, ‘Go Irish!’” Pope Leo joked during his Saturday sermon. “But, as you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova. So the Pope doesn’t take sides. Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now.”

Robert Prevost is the Pope’s legal name, and as he mentions, he’s a Wildcat at heart after graduating from the Pennsylvania school. However, Notre Dame’s synonymous with being the most-recognized Division 1 Catholic program.

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Pope Leo’s sports fandom is rich

The Pope has been the subject of many sports discussions since he was named to his post in May 2025. Americans became more aware of Prevost because of his connection to Chicago sports. The Chicago White Sox are a major part of his life as well.

Photos emerged of Pope Leo attending the 2005 World Series when the White Sox were crowned MLB champions for the first time. He even sent the team a special message before their postseason run in 2026.

Meanwhile, U.S. vice president J.D. Vance gifted the leader of the Catholic Church with a Chicago Bears jersey last year after his monumental rise.

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