Pope Leo Hosts Villanova and Notre Dame: ‘The Pope Doesn’t Take Sides’
Pope Leo XIV welcomed the basketball teams of his alma mater Villanova and rival Notre Dame to the Vatican on Saturday, with about 7,000 students, staff and fans in the Paul VI Audience Hall. “As you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova! So, the Pope doesn’t take sides. Prevost has another opinion,” he joked. The teams play a men’s and women’s doubleheader in Rome on Sunday, All Saints’ Day, in the “Eternal City Tip-Off.” “No one is born a champion, just as no one is born a saint,” Leo said.
What’s confirmed
- Pope Leo XIV welcomed the basketball teams of his alma mater Villanova and rival Notre Dame to the Vatican on Saturday, with about 7,000 students, staff and fans in the Paul VI Audience Hall.
- “As you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova!
- So, the Pope doesn’t take sides.
- Prevost has another opinion,” he joked.
- The teams play a men’s and women’s doubleheader in Rome on Sunday, All Saints’ Day, in the “Eternal City Tip-Off.” “No one is born a champion, just as no one is born a saint,” Leo said.
Confirmed by 2 independent outlets: AP and Vatican News.
What would move the score
- Now: 96% with 2 independent confirmations plus the primary source.
- Up: more independent outlets or primary records confirming the core claim.
- Down: a counted source correcting or walking back its report, or new evidence that weakens the claim.
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Confirmation record
Plus the primary source: the Pope’s address.| ✓ | AP Counted https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-villanova-notre-dame-college-basketball-3bb26f5b2b1bc2bd808b2dde13f585cb |
| ✓ | Vatican News Counted https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-10/pope-villanova-notre-dame-university-basketball-game-saints.html |
| · | Primary source Plus the primary source: the Pope’s address. https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2026/10/31/villanova-university-notredame.html |
Updated / Corrected log
- Published at 96% with 2 independent confirmations.
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