College basketball needs marquee events. It’s the biggest way to grow interest in the sport outside of March Madness and the opening of the 2026-27 season with Villanova meeting Notre Dame in Rome is perfect.
The doubleheader, which features the men’s and women’s teams from both schools, will begin the season in a nationally televised event on Sunday, November 1, the programs and networks confirmed on Friday.
The men’s game, which begins at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX, will lead right into the network’s coverage of the NFL while the women’s game is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m. ET on FS1. The popularity of football should only boost the ratings of the games and generate much more interest when the season begins on American soil later in the week.
Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova alumnus, is expected to meet with the teams and attend the games if his schedule permits.
“This is a special opportunity for our players and coaches to be part of a global event,” Villanova head coach Kevin Willard said in a statement. “To represent Villanova in Rome to open our 2026-27 season is such a great honor. We appreciate the enormous effort that’s gone into making it possible.”
In Willard’s first season with the Wildcats, Villanova finished third in the Big East regular season standings and made NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022, the final season in which Jay Wright was the head coach, before losing to Utah State in the Round of 64.
Notre Dame is looking at a full reset for its program after another disappointing season which saw the Irish finish 16th in the ACC and miss the conference tournament.
Head coach Micah Shrewsberry saw nearly his entire team enter the transfer portal this spring and is hoping to rebuild the program into a team that can compete for a postseason spot.
“We’re incredibly honored to be a part of the Eternal City Tip-Off and open our season in Rome,” Shrewsberry said in a press release.
“This opportunity reflects what makes the University of Notre Dame unique — combining elite competition with meaningful global and cultural experiences. It’s a special chance for our student-athletes to represent our university on an international stage while growing in ways that extend far beyond basketball.”
The Irish have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2022 when Mike Brey was the head coach.
Both school’s women’s basketball teams have been excellent as the Irish are led by head coach Niele Ivey and superstar point guard Hannah Hidalgo, who is projected to be a Top 5 pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft, while Villanova has made three NCAA Tournaments in six seasons under head coach Denise Dillon.
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