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Chicago White Sox fire back at Cubs over Pope Leo XIV fandom

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz05/08/25NickSchultz_7
Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox
© Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Although reports said he was a Chicago Cubs fan, Pope Leo XIV’s brother confirmed that’s not the case. A Southside Chicago native, the pope is a White Sox fan – and the franchise fired back at the Cubs.

ABC News reported Pope Leo XIV was a Cubs fan, and the franchise put a message on the Wrigley Field marquee to celebrate. That was before John Prevost told WGN-TV his brother does, in fact, cheer for the White Sox.

Shortly after that interview made its way around social media, the crew at Rate Field got to work. The White Sox responded to the Cubs’ message, along with a clip from Prevost’s interview, and released a statement about Pope Leo XIV’s actual allegiance.

“Family always knows best, and it sounds like Pope Leo XIV’s lifelong fandom falls a little closer to 35th and Shields,” the White Sox said in a statement to WGN-TV’s Josh Frydman. “Some things are bigger than baseball, and in this case, we’re glad to have a White Sox fan represented in the Vatican.

“A pinstripe White Sox jersey with his name on it and a hat are already on the way to Rome, and of course, the Pontiff always is welcome at his ballpark.”

Before John Prevost’s interview with WGN, the Cubs took a victory lap after hearing the reports Pope Leo XIV was apparently one of their own. They celebrated on the iconic Wrigley Field marquee, declaring “He’s a Cubs fan!” Owner Tom Ricketts also invited him to a game and sing the “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch, he said in a statement to the Chicago Tribune.

Pope Leo XIV’s brother: ‘He was never, ever a Cubs fan’

Pope Leo XIV is the first American pope in history and, therefore, the first from Chicago. The discussion around social media quickly became what it meant for the sports teams in town, as well as which team he cheers for on the baseball diamond.

ABC News’ Terry Moran, citing colleague Linsey Davis, reported the new pope rooted for the Cubs. However, his brother wondered how that got started considering he’s a lifelong White Sox fan.

“He was never, ever a Cubs fan,” John Prevost said. “So I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan. Our mother was a Cubs fan. Maybe that clued in there. And our dad was a Cardinal fan. So I don’t know where that all came from.

“And all the aunts, our mom’s family, was from the Northside. So that’s why they were Cubs fans. … But where it came from, I don’t know, because he would’ve been the only one.”