Pope Leo Shares Sports Interests, From Villanova Basketball to Real Madrid and the White Sox

Pope Leo, the first American to hold the papacy, has a range of sports interests that predate his move to the Vatican, according to a report published on 2 November 2026. The report notes that the Pope’s influence extends beyond his role as head of the Catholic Church, which counts some 2.5 billion Christians worldwide, and that his remarks on sport can draw attention to the games and teams he mentions.

The Pope has described himself as a good amateur tennis player. In a 2023 interview, he said he had had few chances to play since leaving Peru and hoped to return to the courts. Father Joseph Farrell told Reuters that the Pope played regularly, at least once a week. Leo has said tennis helps him relax, but he added that the demands of his responsibilities keep him from playing as often as he would like.

Basketball holds a special place for him because of his connection to Villanova University, from which he graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. In late October 2026, the Pope received teams from Villanova and Notre Dame at the Vatican. The report says he visited Villanova games at a Philadelphia arena known as the University Basketball Cathedral. Father Rob Hagan, a priest who once accompanied the Villanova team, said the Pope knew the players well and was devoted to Villanova. During the meeting, the Pope joked that Villanova supporters would outnumber those of Notre Dame. The report says about 90 percent of those present cheered for Villanova and about 10 percent for Notre Dame.

The Pope also follows baseball, and the report says he supports the Chicago White Sox. The report links this to his birth in Chicago, in one of the city’s southern suburbs. He has also spoken about football, saying he once played as a defensive center and was not very good at catching passes.

Before the 2026 World Cup, the Pope told journalists on the papal plane from Rome to Madrid that he would support the United States team. In an earlier interview, he had said he would back Peru, his country of origin, against the United States, but Peru’s failure to qualify for the tournament led him to choose the United States instead.

At club level, the report says the Pope has expressed support for Real Madrid, and that he has said he backs all teams. Farrell noted that the Pope also supports Roma, one of the leading clubs in the Italian capital. The report adds that Roma welcomed his election on its account on the X platform and wished him success. Leo’s willingness to speak about the sports he follows, the report suggests, has made his personal interests a point of public interest in its own right (Colossians 3:23).

Source: Read the original report (translated from Arabic)