The Solheim Cup competition rounds start Friday but the festivities at the biennial match play event between the U.S. and Europe started a few days ago.
The 12 Americans, led by captain Angela Stanford, will take on 12 of Anna Nordqvist’s European counterparts but before the golf balls are flying for real, there’s the opening ceremony Thursday.
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The U.S. leads the all-time series 11-7-1 and is the defending champion.
Here’s what you need to know from the eve of the 2026 Solheim Cup.
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
The Solheim Cup branding is seen on the tee markers during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 08, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
The Solheim Cup branding is seen on the tee markers during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 08, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
The Solheim Cup branding is seen on the tee markers during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 08, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Branding is seen on a golf towel during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 08, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
The Solheim Cup branding is seen on the tee markers during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 08, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
General view of the 11th hole during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Nelly Korda of Team United States plays a shot out of the bunker during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Maddie Meyer, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
A view of the pin flag during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Maddie Meyer, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
A view of a Solheim Cup pin flag prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Leona Maguire of Team Europe during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Nelly Korda of Team United States walks the 11th fairway with teammates during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Maddie Meyer, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Team United States Vice Captain Paula Creamer talks with Auston Kimon the 10th hole during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Maddie Meyer, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Maja Stark of Team Europe plays a shot from a bunker during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
A detailed view of Lottie Woad of Team Europe’s golf ball during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Charley Hull of Team Europe walks on course during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Charley Hull of Team Europe tees off during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Lottie Woad of Team Europe speaks with Vice Captain, Mel Reid, during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Lauren Coughlin of Team USA speaks to the media during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Naomi Baker, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Celine Boutier of Team Europe walks on course during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
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Best photos from Solheim Cup practice rounds as USA, Europe gear up at Bernardus
Anna Nordqvist, Captain of Team Europe is drive on course during a practice round prior to the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf on September 09, 2026 in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
(Kate McShane, Getty Images)
Check out the 2026 Solheim Cup gala
The Wednesday night Solheim Cup gala is glam time for the 24 players and coaches in the Solheim Cup. Get the full story from Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols, on the ground in the Netherlands for Golfweek.
2026 Solheim Cup leaderboard
Keep tabs on the 2026 Solheim Cup leaderboard throughout the weekend starting with the first day of competition on Friday.
Solheim Cup formats explained
Foursomes, also known as alternate shot, is a format where each side sends out two-player teams using one golf ball and thus, record one score per hole. In all, eight players per side will compete in the foursomes with four players per side sitting out that session.
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Four-balls is also known as best ball or better ball and in this format, each side sends out two-player teams for each match and all four players play their own ball but each team records only one score, the lowest per team. As in foursomes, eight players will compete per side with four players per side sitting out that session.
Sunday singles is self-explanatory as each side sends out all 12 players in 1-on-1 matches with each match victory counting as one point towards the team score.
What are the teams for the U.S. and the Europeans?
Each side has 12 players. The U.S. team is led by Nelly Korda, one of the nine automatic qualifiers who were then joined by Stanford’s three captain’s picks. The European team had eight automatic qualifiers and then four captain’s picks, made by Nordqvist.
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Who won the Solheim Cup last time?
Team USA won the 2024 Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, topping Europe 15½ – 12½.
Where is the 2026 Solheim Cup being played?
This year, the Solheim Cup is at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. It’s the first the the competition has been held in the Netherlands.
Future Solheim Cup venues
Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, a host of several majors on the PGA Tour, will be the host venue in 2028 when the Solheim Cup returns to the U.S.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 2026 Solheim Cup live updates from the opening ceremony in the Netherlands
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