The World Cup final risks becoming a Holy War.

Sunday's match could put millions of Catholics - not to mention Vatican employees - in a quandary.

Will they support Argentina, the homeland of Pope Francis, who is known to be an ardent soccer fan? Or will they cheer for Germany, the home country of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, also a big football fan?

And what about the Big Referee Upstairs? Whose prayers will he heed when the game is on the line?

Germany hammered Brazil in the first semi-final Tuesday and Argentina knocked out Holland on Wednesday after a penalty shoot-out.

Of course, both Popes have more important things on their minds. But the pontiffs have also said that sports can be more than fun and games.

A Catholic who met Pope Francis this week to discuss more serious matters said that the pontiff seemed to be secretly pulling for his home team, CNN reports.

"He absolutely wants for Argentina to win," Peter Saunders, a victim of sexual abuse from England who met Francis on Monday, told The Boston Globe. "He didn’t say it out loud, but you could see it in his eyes, he’s a closet fan."

And earlier this month, before Argentina played Switzerland, Francis jokingly told Swiss Guards: "It's going to be war!"

Whatever happens, one of the popes will be a winner and the other a loser on Sunday. Who will it be?

The Referee Upstairs already knows.

The Vatican says it is unlikely that Pope Francis and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, would get together to watch their home teams in the World Cup final on Sunday.

Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Thursday that the hour of the final is late for Francis' routine, and acknowledged with a chuckle that Benedict wasn't known as an avid sports fan. Still, he didn't rule anything out, saying, "we'll see in the coming days."

Pope Francis has already given his word that there would be no papal intervention in Argentina's fortunes, promising he wouldn't pray for any team. German-born Benedict's interests are known to lean more toward intellectual than athletic pursuits.

Lombardi said "both would want the better team to win, without taking sides."