Solheim Cup 2026 Preview: Everything You Need to Know
The Solheim Cup is one of golf’s most intense team events, bringing Europe and the United States together for three days of match play. The biennial contest combines individual skill, team strategy and intense head-to-head competition, regularly producing dramatic finishes and memorable performances.
The 2026 edition is particularly significant because it will be played at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, giving Team Europe home support as it attempts to reclaim the trophy from the United States. The tournament will feature 12 players on each side, with established stars and emerging talents competing across foursomes, four-ball and singles matches.
Below you’ll find a clear breakdown of what the Solheim Cup is, how the format works, when and where the 2026 edition takes place, who has been selected and what each team needs to do to win.
What Is The Solheim Cup?
The Solheim Cup is a biennial women’s team golf competition between Europe and the United States. It was first played in 1990 and is named after Karsten and Louise Solheim, whose company PING helped establish the competition.
Each team consists of 12 players, a captain and assistant captains. Unlike conventional stroke-play tournaments, the Solheim Cup is played entirely in match play, meaning players compete directly against opponents and the winner of each match earns a point for their team. A halved match gives each side half a point.
The competition uses three match-play formats. Foursomes sees two players from the same team share one ball and alternate shots. Four-ball allows both players on a team to play their own ball, with the lower score counting for the team on each hole. The final day consists of 12 singles matches, with one player from Europe facing one player from the United States.
Because players are selected to contribute to a team rather than simply compete individually, partnerships are crucial. Captains must consider form, playing styles, previous Solheim Cup performances and how well players complement one another when deciding pairings.
How Often Is The Solheim Cup Played?
The Solheim Cup is normally staged every two years, alternating between European and American venues. However, the schedule was adjusted following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The competition was originally played in odd-numbered years, but the 2020 edition of the Ryder Cup being postponed to 2021 led to changes across the international team-golf calendar. The Solheim Cup was subsequently played in 2023 and 2024 before returning to an even-year cycle with the 2026 edition. The intention is for the competition to continue on a two-year schedule from this point onward.
The recent sequence means the 2026 contest comes only two years after the previous Solheim Cup, which was held in Virginia in 2024. That event saw the United States defeat Europe 15½-12½ and regain the trophy after Europe had won in 2019 and 2021 and retained it following the 14-14 tie in 2023.
The two-year cycle gives players time to develop their careers and build a case for selection, while captains can assess performances across the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and major championships before finalising their teams.
When Is The Solheim Cup 2026?
The 2026 Solheim Cup takes place from 11 September to 13 September 2026 at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. The event week begins with official activities and practice before competitive play starts on Friday.
The first two days feature both foursomes and four-ball matches. Four foursomes matches are played in the morning and four four-ball matches in the afternoon on each of those days. Sunday is reserved for the 12 singles matches.
That means the 2026 competition will consist of 28 matches in total, with the first two days accounting for 16 matches and the final day providing the remaining 12.
Where Is The Solheim Cup 2026?
Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, near Den Bosch, in the Netherlands, will host the 2026 Solheim Cup. It will be the first time the Netherlands has staged the competition.
Bernardus opened in 2018 and its championship course was designed by Kyle Phillips. The layout has a heathland character and features strategically positioned bunkers, water hazards, firm playing surfaces and greens with significant movement.
Bernardus has also hosted the Dutch Open on the DP World Tour, giving the venue experience of staging high-level professional golf.
The course should place a premium on accurate approach play, thoughtful positioning and distance control. Several holes feature water hazards and strategically placed bunkers, while wind can alter the way players approach the course. The layout therefore provides plenty of opportunities for aggressive play, but also punishes poor decisions.
That combination should make course management an important part of the match-play strategy, particularly when captains are deciding which players are best suited to particular opponents and conditions.
Who Is Playing In The Solheim Cup?
The 2026 teams have now been confirmed, with 12 players representing Europe and 12 representing the United States.
Team Europe is captained by Anna Nordqvist, who is leading the side at Bernardus. The European team consists of:
Charley Hull, England
Esther Henseleit, Germany
Lottie Woad, England
Maja Stark, Sweden
Celine Boutier, France
Carlota Ciganda, Spain
Linn Grant, Sweden
Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Denmark
Leona Maguire, Ireland
Julia López Ramirez, Spain
Nastasia Nadaud, France
Mimi Rhodes, England
Hull and Henseleit qualified through the LET Solheim Cup Points List, while Woad, Stark, Boutier, Ciganda, Grant and Koerstz Madsen qualified through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Nordqvist selected Maguire, López Ramirez, Nadaud and Rhodes as her four captain’s picks.
The United States team is captained by Angela Stanford. Its 12 players are:
Nelly Korda
Angel Yin
Jennifer Kupcho
Yealimi Noh
Auston Kim
Lauren Coughlin
Allisen Corpuz
Andrea Lee
Alison Lee
Lindy Duncan
Megan Khang
Rose Zhang
Seven players qualified through the U.S. Solheim Cup points standings, while Andrea Lee and Alison Lee qualified through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Stanford then selected Lindy Duncan, Megan Khang and Rose Zhang as her three captain’s picks.
The teams combine significant Solheim Cup experience with several newcomers. Europe includes four rookies in Woad, López Ramirez, Nadaud and Rhodes, while the U.S. team has two rookies in Auston Kim and Lindy Duncan.
This means the 2026 contest is not simply a battle between established stars. Players making their Solheim Cup debuts could have a major influence, particularly if captains identify partnerships that work well in the opening foursomes and four-ball sessions.
How Many Points Are Needed To Win The Solheim Cup?
There are 28 points available across the three days of competition. Each match is worth one point for a win, while a halved match gives each team half a point.
Sixteen points are available across Friday and Saturday, with eight matches played on each day. Each day consists of four foursomes matches in the morning followed by four four-ball matches in the afternoon.
The final 12 points are available in Sunday’s singles session, when all 12 players from each team compete in head-to-head matches.
A team therefore needs 14½ points to win the Cup outright. If the overall score finishes 14-14, the defending champion retains the trophy rather than the competition going to a playoff. That rule was used in 2023, when Europe retained the Cup after the first tie in Solheim Cup history.
However, Europe no longer enters the 2026 event as the defending champion. The United States won the most recent contest in 2024 by a score of 15½-12½, so the Americans arrive in the Netherlands as holders and Europe is attempting to win the trophy back.
Who Are The Favourites To Win The Solheim Cup?
The 2026 contest is difficult to predict because the Solheim Cup is decided over just 28 matches, and team performance can depend heavily on pairings, momentum and the ability to handle match-play pressure.
The United States has the stronger recent position after winning the 2024 contest 15½-12½. The Americans also lead the overall series 11-8 following the 2024 result. Europe, however, has won three of the previous five editions before 2024 and will have the advantage of playing in front of a home crowd in the Netherlands.
Nelly Korda is one of the obvious focal points for the U.S. team. The world No. 1 leads an experienced American squad that also includes Solheim Cup regulars such as Megan Khang, Rose Zhang, Jennifer Kupcho and Angel Yin. Khang enters her fifth Solheim Cup and has built an impressive record in the competition, while Zhang was unbeaten in all four of her matches in the 2024 edition.
Europe has its own collection of proven match-play performers. Charley Hull is set to make her eighth Solheim Cup appearance, while Carlota Ciganda will also compete in her eighth edition. Celine Boutier, Maja Stark, Linn Grant and Leona Maguire add further experience, while Lottie Woad and three other rookies provide younger talent.
The course could also influence the balance between the teams. Bernardus features water hazards, strategically positioned bunkers and several demanding approach shots, so players who combine accuracy with strong decision-making should be particularly valuable. Wind and changing course conditions could further increase the importance of adaptability.
Bet on the Solheim Cup at Bet442
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