SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams will officially kick off the 2026-27 season on an international stage. Both Irish squads will take on Villanova in Rome in the Eternal City Tip-Off — a November 1 doubleheader broadcast by Fox Sports.
A collaboration of On Location, Players Era and FOX Sports, the Eternal City Tip-Off features the men’s contest at 9:30 a.m. ET on Fox, followed by the women’s contest at 12:00 p.m. ET on FS1. Further details, including the event venue, will be released at a later date.
Inspired by the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born Pope, student-athletes from two 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 – including a planned audience with Pope Leo XIV set to take place ahead of the game.
“Pope Leo has spoken in such inspiring ways about the value of sport, emphasizing that sport is a ‘school of life’ that integrates the body, mind, and spirit, a vision both Notre Dame and Villanova wholeheartedly embrace,” said Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., President of the University of Notre Dame. “We are honored to join Villanova for what is sure to be the experience of a lifetime for our student-athletes and fans. We know well the transformative impact of spending time in a city that is so central to our faith and rich in history, having established Notre Dame Rome in 2014, which allows us to host hundreds of students and scholars from around the world each year. It’s exciting and most fitting to add athletic competitions to our many activities in Rome.”
The Notre Dame women are not strangers to opening a season on European soil, as the group kicked off the 2023-24 campaign in Paris.
The Fighting Irish women’s basketball team is coming off its first Elite Eight appearance since 2019 and its fifth consecutive Sweet 16.
Notre Dame is led by All-American Hannah Hidalgo, who is the reigning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Lieberman Award winner and ACC Player of the Year. Last season, she became the first men’s or women’s college basketball player to average at least 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals per game, and she broke the NCAA single-season record with 202 steals.
“We are incredibly excited to compete in Rome against Villanova in what will be a historic moment for collegiate basketball,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said. “For me, this is about more than the game—it’s about giving our student-athletes a truly holistic experience. Opportunities like this have the power to be life-changing, expanding their perspective far beyond the court.
“The University of Notre Dame is a global brand, and we’re proud to represent that tradition on an international stage. Breaking barriers and prioritizing the full student-athlete experience will always matter to me, and this trip embodies exactly that.”
For the Notre Dame men, it will mark the first regular-season game outside the United States in program history. It is believed to be the first game outside the United States to start a men’s college basketball season in history.
The 2026-27 season will mark Coach Shrewsberry’s fourth year at the helm of the program, as he’ll lead a new-look Irish squad into the Rome season opener.
The men’s team will be led by senior Braeden Shrewsberry, who ended last season with 238 career made threes, moving into the program’s all-time top 10. In addition, Braeden joined the program’s 1,000-point club after averaging 11.9 ppg as a junior.
“We’re incredibly honored to be a part of the Eternal City Tip-Off and open our season in Rome,” Glenn & Stacey Murphy Men’s Basketball Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry said. “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 contest between the two Catholic college basketball institutions promises to be an exciting start to the 2026-27 season on FOX. For Players Era, this international showcase is the newest college basketball tentpole event, building on the momentum from this year’s highly anticipated Players Era Men’s and Women’s Championships, which brought together the strongest-ever in-season tournament fields this past November.
On Location will offer Official Experience Packages that bring fans closer than ever to the action on and off the court. These packages will provide fans with the ultimate game weekend experience, blending sport and local culture through premium seating, access to special events in Vatican City, guided tours, an exclusive welcome event, a selection of luxury hotels and more.
Visit eternalcitytip-off.com and place a fully refundable Priority Access deposit to guarantee a spot at this historic event and first choice of hospitality experiences ahead of the general public on-sale, tentatively scheduled for early May.
– ND –