Pope Leo receiving teams and fans from US college basketball before their games in Rome

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to meet with basketball teams from Villanova and Notre Dame, as well as numerous American fans, for a private audience in Rome on Saturday. The event, dubbed the Eternal City Tip-Off, will take place before the U.S. college basketball season opener. About 7,000 people are expected to attend the private audience in the Paul VI hall, which precedes the doubleheader game at the Palazzo dello Sport, located about 30 minutes from the Vatican.

Leo, who graduated from Villanova in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, has expressed his support for sports, praising their value in physical and spiritual development while cautioning against the corrupting influence of a win-at-all-cost mentality.