White smoke has risen from the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, signaling the election of Pope Leo XIV as the successor to Pope Francis, a development that has sparked curiosity in the sports world about his athletic allegiances due to his Chicago-area roots.
Against this backdrop, one question has become unavoidable and a topic of conversation, though it’s not typically the first question asked when a new pope is chosen.
Is the Pope a Fan of the Chicago Cubs or the White Sox?
Robert Prevost was elected, becoming the first pope born in the United States in history. He grew up in Dolton, Illinois, a suburb located south of Chicago near the Indiana border. For his role as the Catholic leader, he chose the name Leo XIV.
Thus came the million-dollar question, and while many claimed he was a Chicago Cubs fan, his brother, John Prevost, stepped in to set the record straight.
“He was never, ever a Cubs fan,” John said in an interview with WGN. “So I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan.”
John explained that their mother was a Cubs fan and their father supported the St. Louis Cardinals, so he’s unsure where his brother’s allegiance to the White Sox originated.
ABC had reported that the new pope was a Cubs fan, which caused significant confusion regarding his loyalty to one of Chicago’s two teams.
In the end, the Cubs capitalized on the buzz, posting a marquee outside Wrigley Field.
However, after the pope’s brother clarified that Leo XIV grew up as a White Sox fan, the South Side team responded with a subtle jab at their city rival.
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