ROME -- The Notre Dame men's and women's basketball teams are set to start their season oversees.

The university announced both teams will face off against Villanova's in Rome to open the 2026-27 season. They're happening Nov. 1, with the men's game at 9:30 a.m. ET, followed by the women's game at 12 p.m. Athletes are expected to have pre-game audience with Pope Leo XIV. In a statement, Notre Dame president Rev. Robert Dowd said the following:

. “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.”