Solheim Cup 2026: Teams, captains, venue, format and how players will qualify for Europe vs USA in the Netherlands

The Solheim Cup is a three-day competition played between teams of 12 players from the USA and Europe.

The event launched in 1990 and was named in honour of Karsten and Louise Solheim and family - the founders of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which makes PING golf equipment.

The biggest team tournament in women's golf, where Team USA face Team Europe, is next held from September 11-13, 2026.

The Solheim Cup is back to even-numbered years to avoid clashing with the Ryder Cup, which moved to odd-numbered years after being postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It resulted in the Solheim Cup taking place in back-to-back years in 2023 and 2024, but now reverts to a biennial contest - like the Ryder Cup - as it was previously.

The tournament heads to the Netherlands for the first time in 2026, with Bernardus Golf - a course previously used for the Dutch Open on the DP World Tour - confirmed as the venue.

The Championship course, designed by American golf course architect Kyle Phillips, is described as a heathland golf course with tricky water hazards, a compact layout, an architecturally stunning clubhouse and world-class practice facilities.

The 2028 edition is set to take place at the iconic Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, 20 years on from hosting the Ryder Cup, with the host courses for all future contests yet to be announced.

There are 28 matches played over the three days, under three different types of match play - foursomes, fourballs and singles - with each match worth one point to the team total. The team which gets to 14.5 points first will win the Solheim Cup.

There are two sessions of foursomes , each containing four matches of two golfers from Europe competing against a pair from the USA. Team members alternate between shots and each team uses one ball.

Fourballs also sees two golfers from each team compete but each player uses their own ball, with the lowest score from each pair counting towards their total in that match.

All players compete in the Sunday singles , where every member from the USA team plays against a European opponent in a head-to-head contest.

The European qualification period for the Solheim Cup began at the 2024 La Sella Open and ended following the conclusion of the 2026 AIG Women's Open, played at Royal Lytham & St Annes, on August 2.

The top two players on the Ladies European Tour Solheim Cup points list and the next available six via the world rankings secured their spots.

Charley Hull topped the LET Solheim Cup points list to secure her an eighth consecutive Solheim Cup appearance, while Esther Henseleit pipped Chiara Tamburlini to second by 0.9 points after her runner-up finish at the final women's major of the year.

England's Lottie Woad will make her debut as the highest-ranked European in the world rankings, having won on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour over the past 13 months since turning professional.

Sweden's Maja Stark and Linn Grant return for their third consecutive Solheim Cups, with France's Celine Boutier, Spain's Carlota Ciganda and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen the others to qualify automatically.

Captain Anna Nordqvist announced Ireland's Leona Maguire as one of her four wild card picks, along with three debutants: Spain's Julia Lopez Ramirez, France's Nastasia Nadaud and England's Mimi Rhodes.

Team USA's Solheim Cup qualification period ended following the conclusion of the CPKC Women's Open on August 23.

Similar to Team Europe's qualification process, the top seven players in the LPGA Tour Solheim Cup points list will gain an automatic place in the team.

World No 1 Nelly Korda ranked top of the list at the end of the qualification period and will make her fifth Solheim Cup appearance.

Angel Yin and Jennifer Kupcho placed second and third on the list, while Yealimi Noh, who finished third at this year's AIG Women's Open, joins them.

Auston Kim is set to make her debut at the tournament, while Lauren Coughlin and Allisen Corpuz, both complete the seven players to qualify.

Andrea Lee and Alison Lee both qualified as the top two ranked players on the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings to not have already qualified via the Solheim Cup points list.

Meanwhile, Team USA captain Angela Stanford has named her three captain's picks, with Megan Khang and Rose Zhang set to return for the fifth and third Solheim Cups, respectively. Lindy Duncan was also named as a captain's pick, and is set to make her debut at September's tournament.

Anna Nordqvist has been named as Europe's captain for 2026, having made nine consecutive appearances as a player and served a dual role as vice-captain for the last two contests.

The Swede succeeds Suzann Pettersen, who was captain for back-to-back editions in 2023 and 2024, with Nordqvist choosing Caroline Hedwall and Mel Reid as her vice-captains for the 2026 edition of the contest.

Hedwall has represented Europe as a player on five occasions, with Reid competing four times and also acting as vice-captain in 2019 and 2024.

Angela Stanford has been named as Stacy Lewis' successor and will captain Team USA for their Solheim Cup title defence in the Netherlands.

Stanford featured six times for Team USA and was part of three winning teams, with her last appearance seeing her part of a comeback victory on European soil in 2015.

The former major champion has been an assistant captain for the last three editions of the biennial contest, including to Lewis for each of the previous two contests.

The 47-year-old has so far announced Kristy McPherson and Paula Creamer as vice-captains. She added five-time Solheim Cup player Brittany Lang as an assistant captain on June 3.

Team USA withstood a final-day fightback from Team Europe to claim a 15.5-12.5 victory and win the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017.

Lewis' side took a 10-6 advantage into the Sunday singles at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, leaving them requiring just 4.5 points for victory, with Megan Khang, Allisen Corpuz and Rose Zhang all posting big wins to move them closer to their target.

Charley Hull led from the front to thrash world No 1 Nelly Korda and Georgia Hall also claimed a big win to raise hopes of a historic European comeback, with seven matches left on the course either tied or in favour of Pettersen's side at that stage.

Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire won their matches to move Europe closer to the 14 points required to win for the fourth time in a row, only for Lilia Vu to secure the half-point needed for victory when she won her final two holes to tie against rookie Albane Valenzuela.

Tickets are now on general sale for both grounds passes and hospitality. Full ticket details for the 2026 Solheim Cup are available here .

Who will win the Solheim Cup? Watch Team Europe's bid to regain the trophy exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all three days live from September 11-13 on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract .