For the first time ever, the NCAA college basketball season tips off in Rome, as the men’s and women’s teams from Notre Dame and Villanova, the Pope’s alma mater, meet in a doubleheader at Palazzo dello Sport on Nov. 1, 2026, for the inaugural Eternal City Tip-Off, a landmark collaboration between Players Era, On Location, and FOX Sports.
Inspired by the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, student-athletes from some of the United States’ top Catholic universities will travel to Rome and Vatican City for a one-of-a-kind international experience to begin their college hoops season. The event is headlined by stars like Notre Dame's All-American guard Hannah Hidalgo, and Italian center Luigi Suigo, who returns to Italy for his Villanova debut after withdrawing from the 2026 NBA Draft.
The men’s matchup will begin at 3:30 p.m. CET, followed by the women’s game at 6:00 p.m. CET.
