Solheim Cup 2026 preview: the big storylines ahead of Bernardus

For the first time in Solheim Cup history, the Netherlands is about to host one of the biggest events in women's golf.

From the 11th to the 13th of September, Europe and the USA will go head-to-head at Bernardus Golf, with 28 matches deciding who takes home the trophy.

There is plenty at stake. The USA are arriving as defending champions after their 15.5-12.5 victory in Virginia in 2024, while Europe have home advantage and a new captain as they look to reclaim the trophy.

Add two strong teams, several exciting rookies, some proven Solheim Cup performers and a course hosting the event for the first time, and there should be no shortage of storylines over three days in the Netherlands.

• Dates: 11-13 September 2026
• Venue: Bernardus Golf, Netherlands
• Defending champions: USA
• Europe captain: Anna Nordqvist
• USA captain: Angela Stanford
• Format: 28 matches – eight foursomes, eight fourballs and 12 singles

Europe arrive at Bernardus with something they haven't had to deal with for a while: trying to win the trophy back.

After victories in 2019 and 2021, Europe retained the Cup with a dramatic 14-14 tie at Finca Cortesin in 2023. But the USA ended that run at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club a year later, winning 15.5-12.5 to claim their first outright Solheim Cup victory since 2017.

Now Europe get another shot, this time on home soil. Home advantage has often played a big role in team golf, and Bernardus should provide a completely different atmosphere to Virginia.

The question is whether or not Europe can capitalise on it.

With players such as Charley Hull, Céline Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant and Maja Stark in the side, there is plenty of experience and quality. But there are also new faces who will be experiencing everything that comes with a Solheim Cup for the first time. That combination could make Europe fascinating to watch.

For Europe, one of the biggest changes this year is Anna Nordqvist stepping into the captain's role, just days after bringing her own playing career to an end.

Ahead of the Solheim Cup, the three-time major winner announced her retirement from professional golf after 18 years, with the FM Championship marking her final tournament as a player.

Just days after ending her playing career, she goes from competing inside the ropes to leading Europe from the sidelines.

Few players know the Solheim Cup better. Nordqvist represented Europe nine times, was part of five winning teams and served as a playing vice-captain in the last two editions.

She'll also have plenty of experience around her, with Caroline Hedwall, Mel Reid and Dutch star Anne van Dam joining her as vice-captains.

It's a fitting way to begin the next chapter of her career. After playing such a big part in Europe's Solheim Cup story for so many years, Nordqvist now has the chance to make her mark as captain.

If Europe are going to get the win, they'll have to overcome another very strong American side.

Nelly Korda is naturally one of the headline names, but there is plenty of quality around her. Angel Yin, Auston Kim, Jennifer Kupcho, Yealimi Noh, Lauren Coughlin and Allisen Corpuz all earned their places through the points standings, while Andrea Lee and Alison Lee qualified through the world rankings.

Angela Stanford completed her team with three captain's picks, choosing Lindy Duncan, Megan Khang and Rose Zhang.

It's a strong mix of experience and players who have already shown they can perform under pressure, which should give Stanford plenty of options when it comes to her pairings.

And of all those names, Rose Zhang is one Europe certainly won't need reminding about after what she did two years ago.

Indeed, Rose Zhang was one of the standout players at the 2024 Solheim Cup.

She finished the week with a perfect 4-0-0 record, winning every match she played, and none of them even made it as far as the 17th hole.

This time around, she needed a captain's pick from Angela Stanford to make the team, but given what happened two years ago, it's easy to see why Stanford wanted her back.

Zhang clearly enjoys the match play format and already knows what it takes to perform under Solheim Cup pressure. Europe will know just how dangerous she can be if she finds that same form again at Bernardus.

She may not have qualified automatically, but don't be surprised if she ends up playing another big role for the USA.

Leona Maguire may not have qualified automatically, but her Solheim Cup record made her an obvious contender for one of Anna Nordqvist's four captain's picks.

The Irishwoman is well-versed in this event and has shown time and again that match play suits her game. That's particularly valuable in a European team featuring several players making their Solheim Cup debuts.

Captain's picks always create debate, especially when it comes down to current form versus experience. With Maguire, Nordqvist has gone with someone she knows can handle the occasion and the pressure that comes with it.

Now it's down to Maguire to show why she got the call.

There are new faces in the European team this year, with Julia Lopez Ramirez, Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes all receiving captain's picks and preparing to make their Solheim Cup debuts.

That brings another interesting element to Anna Nordqvist's team. We have seen many rookies thrive in this event before, while others have needed a little longer to settle into the pressure and atmosphere that comes with representing Europe.

It also gives Nordqvist some big decisions when the pairings are announced. She could match the newcomers with experienced Solheim Cup players or give them the freedom to go out together and see what happens.

Either way, it will be interesting to see who settles in quickly and whether one of Europe's debutants can become a breakout star of the week.

The Solheim Cup has never been played in the Netherlands before, making Bernardus Golf a completely new stage for the competition.

Designed by Kyle Phillips, Bernardus combines heathland characteristics with strategic bunkering, water hazards and subtle movement throughout the course. It isn't new to elite tournament golf, having hosted three consecutive editions of the Dutch Open on the DP World Tour between 2021 and 2023, but the Solheim Cup will present a very different test.

Players can be more aggressive when they don't have to protect a 72-hole score, while risk-and-reward holes can suddenly become decisive if one player finds trouble and gives their opponent an opportunity.

And with foursomes and fourballs on Friday and Saturday before 12 singles matches on Sunday, we'll get to see Bernardus played in several very different ways.

Don't be surprised if a handful of holes become very familiar by the end of the week.

Europe aren't the only team heading to Bernardus with a new captain, with Angela Stanford taking charge of the USA for the first time.

Like Nordqvist, Stanford has plenty of Solheim Cup experience to call on. She represented the USA six times as a player before serving three times as an assistant captain, so she has seen this event from almost every angle.

She also arrives in the Netherlands in a slightly different position to Nordqvist. The USA are defending champions, meaning Stanford's job is to build on the momentum of their 2024 victory and make sure the trophy stays in American hands.

After spending three Solheim Cups as an assistant, this time the final decisions are hers.

This is where things get really interesting.

Individual quality only gets you so far in a Solheim Cup, and with 16 team matches taking place before Sunday's singles, finding the right partnerships can have a huge impact on the result.

Both captains have plenty of options. Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz have already shown how well they can work together in foursomes, while players such as Megan Khang and Rose Zhang give Stanford even more to think about. Nordqvist, meanwhile, has to decide how best to use her experienced players alongside several Solheim Cup rookies.

Friday morning will give us the first indication of how both captains are approaching it. Do they stick with proven combinations, pair experience with youth or throw together something completely new?

A partnership that clicks can quickly become a go-to combination for the rest of the weekend. And with so many points available before the singles even begin, getting those early calls right could go a long way towards deciding who heads into Sunday with the advantage.

The USA arrive in the Netherlands with the trophy, but this feels like a tough Solheim Cup to call.

Europe have home advantage, a new captain and a team that mixes experience with some exciting new faces. The USA, meanwhile, have Nelly Korda leading a strong line-up packed with players who already know what it takes to perform in this event.

Bernardus adds another unknown. It's a new host course in a country staging the Solheim Cup for the first time, so neither side will have the familiarity we've seen at some previous venues.

In the end, it will probably come down to the things that so often decide a Solheim Cup: big putts, strong partnerships and who handles the pressure best when Sunday afternoon comes around.

Europe will be desperate to get the trophy back, while the USA will be determined to take it home again.

It should be a brilliant three days at Bernardus.