Solheim Cup 2026: How Team Europe can regain trophy and why tight contest with Team USA is expected at Bernardus Golf
Team Europe look to regain the Solheim Cup after their 2024 loss to Team USA; Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands hosts this year's edition, where Charley Hull and Nelly Korda are the stars in action; watch live from Friday at 6am on Sky Sports Golf
Tuesday 8 September 2026 09:31, UK
There has been little to separate Team Europe and Team USA in recent editions of the Solheim Cup, with nothing to suggest that this week’s contest will be any different.
Anna Nordqvist's European team look to regain the trophy on home soil at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, live on Sky Sports, two years on from a 15.5-12.5 loss in Virginia and their first defeat in the biennial contest since 2017.
Whereas the Ryder Cup has typically delivered big winning margins in recent editions, aside from last year's edition at Bethpage Black and a brilliant final-day comeback from Team USA, the Solheim Cup has offered the opposite.
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The last three Solheim Cups held in Europe have produced the three closest finishes in its history, with the 2015 and 2019 editions both being won by a single point before the 2023 contest produced the first 14-14 tie.
Each gave their own unique drama and excitement, with Team USA mounting a record singles comeback to win in 2015 before Suzann Pettersen drained THAT putt on the 18th green to help Team Europe to Gleneagles glory four years later.
That's without forgetting the thrilling climax - and Europe retaining - in Spain, where Pettersen's side recovered from being swept in Friday's opening session and came back from the brink in the singles to reach the 14 points required.
Add in the 2011 contest in Dublin, where Europe's winning margin was only two because of an injury withdrawal from Cristie Kerr in the singles, and the last four contests on this side of the Atlantic have had a total winning difference of six points combined.
Given the similarities between this year's line-ups in terms of form, world ranking and past Solheim Cup experience, it's just as hard to predict which team may end up lifting the trophy on Sunday evening.
Do Team USA have the early edge?
Team Europe regularly play the 'underdogs' role in the Solheim Cup because of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, given the number of American players higher up the standings, although boast more inside the world's top 10 this time than their rivals.
Charley Hull makes her eighth consecutive Team Europe appearance and world No 7 Lottie Woad features as a rookie in name only, having already won two LPGA Tour titles in just over a year as a professional.
Nordqvist does have five of the world's top 35 at her disposal, as Esther Henseleit climbed after her runner-up finish at the AIG Women's Open and both Maja Stark and Celine Boutier regularly contend on the LPGA Tour.
Team USA do have rankings depth at their disposal, with nine inside the world's top 50 and rookie Lindy Duncan the lowest at world No 66, whereas five European players - including all four captain's picks - head into that weekend below that position.
"I firmly believe it will come down to home advantage," Dame Laura Davies, a 12-time Solheim Cup player, told the Sky Sports Golf podcast.. "It's going to be a very loud week with our girls playing in front of a huge audience.
"On paper, the Americans will probably be favourites because they always are because they all play on the LPGA Tour. I just think that home advantage makes such a difference."
Korda or Hull: Which star will come out on top?
Other than Korda's ridiculous start to the LPGA Tour season, where she won four times and finished no worse than eighth in a 10-tournament stretch, there's been very few - in either team - to reach the winner's circle in 2026.
Lauren Coughlin's Aramco Championship success is the only other win by an American Solheim Cup player on the LPGA Tour, while Boutier and Woad are the only two to have won Stateside from the European side.
Hull was a winner on the Ladies European Tour at the PIF Saudi Ladies International in February, with the Englishwoman now a Solheim Cup stalwart and arriving with the bragging rights of thrashing Korda 6&4 in the Sunday singles two years ago.
She already has 15 match wins to her name in Solheim Cups, the most of any player before turning 30 in history, while only Annika Sorenstam has a better winning points percentage of players to have represented Team Europe as frequently.
Davies called on Hull to "step up and lead" Europe again this week, given her experience, power off the tee and care-free attitude, with Nordqvist expecting the world No 8 to have a big role again in their bid to retain the trophy.
"You've just got to let Charley be Charley," Nordqvist explained to Sky Sports. "It was really nice to see how much she really enjoyed the Solheim Cup last time - she lights up the team room just with her personality. I can't wait to see her tee it up."
Can Nordqvist bring best out of rookies?
Nordqvist was encouraged by her own vice-captains to consider naming herself a captain's pick earlier in the season, given her summer results, although the Swede was quick to quash that idea and name four young selections to complete her roster.
A tied-seventh finish at the Evian Championship briefly ignited those discussions, as did top-30 finishes in her next two events, along with Georgia Hall failing to qualify for the first time since 2015 and Madelene Sagstrom missing out due to childbirth.
The experience of Leona Maguire - the hero of their 2021 win on away soil - needs little introduction, while Julia Lopez Ramirez, Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes are all rising stars now getting the chance to test themselves on the biggest stage.
"We got some great power in there and I think we're going to be really strong this year," Nordqvist said. "It's going to be a big change, but also I feel like we have such a good core group of girls that's going to make the other players very comfortable and confident."
Both previous occasions that Europe selected three rookies as captain's picks - in 2011 and 2021 - resulted in wins. Nordqvist would love more than to complete that golfing hat-trick.
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 latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.
