2026 Solheim Cup Preview: Everything to Know Before Team USA Defends Its Title in the Netherlands

The Solheim Cup is heading to continental Europe for one of the more anticipated editions in the event’s history. This September, the 20th Solheim Cup tees off at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands, and it’s shaping up to be a genuinely close one. Here’s a full rundown of the event, both rosters, the matchups worth circling, and a look back at who has actually won this thing over the last two decades.

The Basics

The 2026 Solheim Cup runs September 7 to 13, with the actual match play happening September 11 through 13 at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, in the North Brabant region of the Netherlands. Anna Nordqvist captains Team Europe, while Angela Stanford leads Team USA. Each side brings 12 players, and it takes 14.5 points out of a possible 28 to win the Cup outright.

The format follows the standard Solheim Cup blueprint. The first two days consist of four foursomes (alternate shot) matches and four fourball (better ball) matches. Day three is all singles, with all 12 players from each team going head to head. Team USA arrives as the defending champion after winning 15.5 to 12.5 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia back in 2024, and Europe will be looking to take advantage of home continent conditions to get the Cup back.

Meet Team USA

Angela Stanford’s squad is a blend of proven Solheim Cup veterans and a couple of first timers who earned their spots the hard way.

Nelly Korda is the headliner and currently the world’s number one player. She brings 19 LPGA wins, including four majors, into her fifth Solheim Cup appearance, and she’s been one of the most reliable performers the U.S. has had in this event with a 10-5-1 record.

Angel Yin is playing in her fourth Solheim Cup and has quietly built a strong 5-3-1 record along the way. Known for her power off the tee and her personality on social media, she’s become a fan favorite in team events.

Jennifer Kupcho returns for her fourth appearance with a 3-5-2 record. She won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur and has since added a major to her résumé, and she tends to bring a calm, steady presence to team formats.

Auston Kim is one of two rookies on this year’s team. She qualified on points despite not yet having an LPGA win, and September will be her first taste of match play pressure at this level.

Yealimi Noh returns after making her debut in 2021, where she went 2-1. She’s known for a fearless, aggressive style that can make her a tricky draw in match play.

Lauren Coughlin was one of the best stories of the 2024 Cup, going 3-0-1 in her debut. She’s a former club professional turned late-blooming LPGA winner, and her 2024 form makes her a near lock for multiple sessions again.

Allisen Corpuz has a major title to her name and a 5-2-1 record across two Solheim Cups. She’s a steady ball striker who doesn’t beat herself, which plays well in match play.

Andrea Lee is a two-time veteran sitting at 3-2-2. She’s known for her composure and has been a reliable point scorer for the U.S. in tighter matches.

Alison Lee returns for her third Solheim Cup after debuting all the way back in 2015. Her record sits at 2-5, but she has experience that Stanford will value in a road environment.

Rose Zhang was a captain’s pick after a 4-2-1 record in her first two appearances. She turned pro straight out of Stanford as one of the most hyped amateurs in recent memory and has backed it up with two LPGA wins already.

Megan Khang is a four-time Solheim Cup veteran with a 7-3-3 record, making her one of the more experienced hands on this roster even though she doesn’t have the biggest trophy case. Captains have consistently trusted her in team sessions.

Lindy Duncan is the second rookie and, at 35, becomes the second-oldest Solheim Cup debutant since Nancy Scranton in 2000. Her selection was one of the more feel-good captain’s picks of the cycle.

Meet Team Europe

Anna Nordqvist’s team leans on a mix of established match play assassins and a wave of new blood, several of whom will be playing in front of a home continent crowd for the first time.

Charley Hull is Europe’s most battle-tested player, teeing it up in her eighth Solheim Cup with a 15-9-3 record. She’s a crowd energizer and has been at the center of some of the event’s most memorable moments over the past decade.

Lottie Woad is the rookie everyone will be watching. The English star was one of the most dominant amateurs in recent memory before turning pro, and she qualified automatically on the strength of her rankings climb. If there’s a breakout story of this Cup, it’s likely her.

Maja Stark brings a major championship and a 3-3-2 Solheim record into her third appearance. The Swede has a reputation for hitting bombs and backing up her length with a genuinely sharp short game.

Celine Boutier is a four-time Solheim veteran with a 7-6-1 record and a major title of her own. The French star has become one of the more dependable anchors in Europe’s lineup.

Esther Henseleit returns after a solid Solheim debut in 2024. The German has two LET wins and represents Europe’s continued push to develop talent outside the traditional UK and Ireland core.

Carlota Ciganda is a Solheim Cup fixture, playing in her eighth edition with a 12-11-4 record. She’s paired well with a number of different partners over the years and is one of the more emotional, fist-pumping presences on either team.

Linn Grant returns for her third Solheim Cup. The Swede is a two-time LPGA winner known for elite ball striking, though her 3-6 record so far suggests she’s still finding her footing in the format.

Nanna Koerstz Madsen makes her second Solheim Cup appearance after debuting in 2021. The Dane is a steady, unflashy player who tends to grind out tight matches.

Leona Maguire was a captain’s pick this time around, somewhat remarkably given she’s arguably been Europe’s best match play performer of the last few years. Her 8-3-1 record is outstanding, and having her available for every session rather than earning it through the standings might end up being Nordqvist’s biggest advantage.

Julia Lopez Ramirez is a rookie from Spain who has yet to pick up a win on either the LPGA or LET, but was rewarded for consistent play throughout the qualification window.

Nastasia Nadaud is a rookie from France with an LET win to her name. She adds to Europe’s growing depth from the continent.

Mimi Rhodes rounds out the rookie class. The Englishwoman has three LET wins and gives Nordqvist another young option who has shown she can close out tournaments.

Potential Key Matchups to Watch

Nelly Korda vs. Lottie Woad. The reigning world number one against the most talked about rookie in the field. If these two cross paths in Sunday singles, it’s the kind of pairing that could define the week.

Rose Zhang vs. Lottie Woad. Two of the most hyped amateurs of the last several years, both of whom turned pro young and immediately delivered, on opposite teams. A meeting between them would be a preview of who runs women’s golf for the next decade.

Charley Hull and Carlota Ciganda as a pairing. These two have logged serious mileage together in foursomes and fourball over the years and know each other’s games. If Nordqvist rolls them out together again, they’re a match USA will need to have an answer for.

Leona Maguire in singles. Her 8-3-1 career Solheim record speaks for itself. Whoever draws her on Sunday is not getting an easy point, and Europe will likely lean on her as an anchor match.

The rookie factor on both sides. Europe brings four newcomers (Woad, Lopez Ramirez, Nadaud, and Rhodes) playing close to home, while the U.S. counters with two (Kim and Duncan) stepping into a true road environment for the first time. How the rookies handle the moment, in either direction, could swing a session or two.

A Quick History Lesson: Solheim Cup Winners of the Last 20 Years

The Solheim Cup began in 1990, and the 2026 edition in the Netherlands marks the 20th playing of the event. Here’s how the last two decades have gone.

Year	Venue	Winner	Score
2005	Crooked Stick Golf Club, Indiana	United States	15.5 to 12.5
2007	Halmstad Golf Club, Sweden	United States	16 to 12
2009	Rich Harvest Farms, Illinois	United States	16 to 12
2011	Killeen Castle, Ireland	Europe	15 to 13
2013	Colorado Golf Club, Colorado	Europe	18 to 10
2015	Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, Germany	United States	14.5 to 13.5
2017	Des Moines Golf and Country Club, Iowa	United States	16.5 to 11.5
2019	Gleneagles, Scotland	Europe	14.5 to 13.5
2021	Inverness Club, Ohio	Europe	15 to 13
2023	Finca Cortesin, Spain	Europe (tie, retained Cup)	14 to 14
2024	Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Virginia	United States	15.5 to 12.5

A few things jump out looking back over this stretch. The U.S. has generally had the edge on home soil, while Europe has been especially dangerous when the Cup travels to the continent, which is worth keeping in mind with this year’s event landing in the Netherlands. The 2023 match at Finca Cortesin also stands out as one of the tensest in the event’s history, ending in a 14-14 tie that let Europe retain the Cup as the defending side, before the U.S. took it back emphatically in Virginia the following year. Across the full 19-edition history through 2024, the United States holds the overall lead with 11 wins to Europe’s 7, plus that one tie.

Any Season’s Final Thoughts

This year’s Solheim Cup has a bit of everything, a red hot world number one for the Americans, one of the most hyped rookies the sport has produced in years lining up for Europe, a genuinely stacked history between these two teams, and a venue that puts Europe in front of a passionate home continent crowd. Team USA is defending, but this feels like the kind of matchup that could go either way once the pressure of Sunday singles sets in.

We’ll have full coverage as the week approaches, including pairings analysis once the foursomes and fourball lineups are announced. For now, mark your calendars for September 11 through 13.