The 2026-27 women’s college basketball season is scheduled to start on Sunday, November 1, 2026, with a notable match between Notre Dame and Villanova in Rome, Italy. This game marks the first time a regular-season women’s college basketball game will be held in Italy and is part of a doubleheader event called “the Eternal City Classic,” which will also feature the men’s teams from both schools.

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The match commemorates Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope elected in 2025. Notre Dame, led by All-American and reigning ACC Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo, will tip off against Villanova at 12 p.m. ET on FS1. Last season, Hidalgo averaged 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 5.6 steals per game, ranking third in the nation for scoring and steals.

Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey emphasized the significance of the opportunity, stating, “Opportunities like this have the power to be life-changing, expanding their perspective far beyond the court.”

Villanova, under head coach Denise Dillon, concluded last season with a 25-8 record and made its third trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are led by two-time All-Big East selection Jasmine Bascoe, who averaged 18.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.1 steals while achieving an 83.9% free-throw shooting percentage.

On Monday, November 2, the traditional start date of the season, a full slate of games will occur, including some held in Europe as part of the Oui Play games in Paris. Matchups include Oklahoma vs. North Carolina and South Carolina vs. Maryland. Additional games on November 2 feature Davidson at Columbia, Stanford vs. Arizona in Las Vegas, USC at UNLV, Cornell at UConn, Lehigh at UCLA, Belmont at Princeton, and Washington State at Cal.

On Sunday, November 8, highly-ranked teams will compete in Charlotte, North Carolina, during the fourth annual Ally Tip-Off, with NC State facing Kentucky and South Carolina meeting North Carolina, both airing on ESPN. This year’s NCAA Tournament will expand to include 76 teams, with Selection Sunday set for March 14, leading up to the national championship game in Columbus, Ohio, on April 4.