The FIBA World Cup is over the WNBA‘s regular season is winding down, but there’s much more women’s basketball ahead.
On Sunday, Nov. 1, the 2026-27 women’s college basketball season will begin with a matchup between Notre Dame and Villanova in Rome, Italy. It’s the first time a regular-season women’s college basketball game has been played in Italy.
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The game is part of a doubleheader with the men’s teams from both schools in an event called “the Eternal City Classic.” The basketball programs of two iconic Catholic institutions will play as part of a celebration for Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope elected to the papacy in 2025.
Led by All-American and reigning ACC Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo — fresh off a trip to the Elite Eight in last year’s NCAA Tournament – Notre Dame will tipoff against Villanova at Sunday (12 p.m., FS1).
Hidalgo was third in the nation in scoring and third in steals last season. She averaged 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 5.6 steals per game while shooting 47.5% from the floor as a junior.
“Opportunities like this have the power to be life-changing, expanding their perspective far beyond the court,” Fighting Irish coach Niele Ivey said. “Notre Dame is a global brand, and we’re proud to represent that tradition on an international stage. Breaking barriers and prioritizing the full student-athlete experience will always matter to me, and this trip embodies exactly that.”
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Villanova is also coming off a strong season, going 25-8 and making their third trip to the NCAA Tournament under the direction of head coach Denise Dillon. 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 per game last season while shooting 83.9% from the free-throw line. The 20-year-old guard has also featured for Canada’s senior national team.
While Notre Dame vs. Villanova is the only game Sunday, a full slate of games will be played on Monday, Nov. 2 — the traditional start date of the season. And, like the matchup between the Irish and the Wildcats, some of those games will be played in Europe.
The Oui Play games in Paris return for the fourth consecutive season, with year’s games featuring Oklahoma vs. North Carolina and South Carolina vs. Maryland. The Gamecocks and Terrapins will play at 12 p.m. ET, followed by Sooners versus Tar Heels at 2:30 p.m. ET. Both games will air on ESPN platforms.
Other noteworthy games on Monday, Nov. 2 include:
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Davidson at Columbia, 11 a.m. ET
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Stanford vs. Arizona (in Las Vegas), 12:30 p.m. ET
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Belmont at Princeton, 7:30 p.m. ET
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Washington State at Cal, 9 p.m. ET
Teams expected to be highly ranked will play Sunday, Nov. 8 in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the fourth annual Ally Tip-Off. NC State will take on Kentucky at 3 p.m. ET, and South Carolina will face North Carolina at 5:30 p.m. ET. Both games will air on ESPN.
This year’s NCAA Tournament field will feature 76 teams for the first time in an expanded format. Selection Sunday is set for March 14, and the season will conclude with the national championship game in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, April 4.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does the 2026-27 women’s college basketball season start?
