We are now in 2026, which means another edition of the Solheim Cup is on hand. In 2024, Europe lost possession of the cup for the first time since 2017. Now, new captain Anna Nordqvist takes over a team looking to go back to the domination of the previous few years.
THE LOCKS
Charley Hull – Barring injury, there is no chance that Charley Hull isn’t on the 2026 Solheim Cup for Europe. Hull is the highest ranked European in the World, had a great end to 2025 with top-20 finishes in her last five starts, including a win and runner up. Hull is also an experienced Solheim Cup player, going 15-9-3 in her career and 3-2 in 2024. Hull will be on this team until she’s a captain, and maybe even beyond that.
Lottie Woad – Anna Nordqvist has all but explicitly said Woad will be making her Solheim Cup debut in 2026, and rightfully so. In about half a year as a professional she is already the second highest ranked European in the world. Woad is the future of this team and should give Europe the big shot in the arm they need right now.
Celine Boutier – Hard to envision any situations where Boutier, the third highest ranked European in the world, isn’t back on the European squad in 2026. Boutier quietly had a solid 2025 on the Tour, making 21/23 cuts and finishing top 10 five times. Boutier is inconsistent to say the least in the Solheim Cup, but she was solid in 2024 going 2-2 and for her career she is 3-1 in Sunday singles.
LOOKING SAFE
Maja Stark – Stark, despite inconsistency, is probably here on the team in 2026 no matter what. She won a major championship in 2025 and is still one of the most notable European players in the world. She also pairs well with Linn Grant, despite not being put together in 2024. She has played in two Solheim Cups and is 3-3-2 overall.
Linn Grant – The only reason Linn Grant isn’t a lock is because of how disastrous the 2024 Solheim Cup was for her, going 0-4-0 and really never being competitive. Grant had a promising 2025 though, grabbing a late win at The Annika and showing flashes of being one of the most talented players in the world. If this team gets Grant’s full potential unlocked at Solheim, it will be in good position to win.
Carlota Ciganda – Ciganda doesn’t look close to done playing in Solheim Cups, and I don’t know why Europe would move on from her. It would be shocking for Nordqvist to be the captain to make that decision. Ciganda is 12-11-4 in her Solheim career, and is just two years removed from a 4-0-0 performance. Ciganda also had a solid 2025 season, getting a win at the Meijer LPGA Classic.
MORE LIKELY THAN NOT
Leona Maguire – What happened with Maguire in 2024, where she played only two matches and went 1-1-0, probably has to be largely ignored. Before that mess, Maguire had played all 10 matches of her career, going an incredible 7-2-1. Maguire is ranked No. 103 in the world, but I think she gets benefit of the doubt, especially considering she has been paired with Nordqvist twice in her Solheim Cup career.
Esther Henseleit – The Olympic silver medalist from the Paris Olympics didn’t help or hurt her case in her Solheim Cup debut, going 1-1-1, playing only in foursomes and singles. She paired fine with Charley Hull, losing a match only against the fantastic Korda/Corpuz duo. Henseleit is still in the top 30 in the world, so rankings wise, she is looking good, but a solid season is still probably needed for her to feel safe.
Madelene Sagström – Sagström is such a weird case here, but gut feeling says she is on the roster in 2026. Sagström is coming off her best-career performance in the Solheim Cup, she was one of the best players for Europe at 2-1. Her overall record is a bit messier, with a 5-6-1 career record at the event. She did get a win, at a match play event, in 2025, which could loom large. She also brings a lot of experience here, having been on four teams before.
Ingrid Lindblad – It is time for some new blood for Europe, I think most people would agree with that, and Lindblad is a great option. While she had an inconsistent rookie season, the high moments were really good, including a win in Los Angeles. Lindblad also should get some bonus points for her amateur career, where she was one of the best college players in the country for essentially her entire career at LSU. She is one of the building blocks for the future of this team.
MAYBE
Chiara Tamburlini – Tamburlini is a player who American golf fans will get much more familiar with in 2025, but she was a star on the Ladies European Tour in 2024. Tamburlini won three times, twice in absolutely dominant fashion. She also had good moments in major championships, posting two top-15 finishes. Look out for her to have an impact in the early LPGA Tour season, and get on this team.
Julia Lopez-Ramirez – Lopez-Ramirez is a high ceiling player who might just be worth the risk in 2026. She showed incredible power in her rookie season, leading the Tour in driving distance. She turned that power into some good results, notching a top-three finish in Scotland and being in contention all week at the U.S. Women’s Open. If she can get more consistent on her approach shots, she could be fantastic in 2026.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen – Koerstz Madsen is the only player in this tier with previous experience in the Solheim Cup, which doesn’t really help considering her 1-1-1 record isn’t a big detraction or advantage. She doesn’t bring new youth to the team at 31-years-old, which likely won’t help her. I would imagine she wouldn’t be as likely to get a captain’s selection, meaning she’d probably have to earn her spot. If she plays like she did in 2025, that may work out though, as she had four top-10 finishes and ended the year on a strong note.
Helen Briem – Helen Briem brings a lot of what Tamburlini and Lopez-Ramirez bring. At 20-years-old, she’s the youngest player on this entire list. She also hits the ball further than probably anyone in the world. She got her first win on the LET in 2024, but hasn’t experienced a ton of success outside of that as a professional, but she was a dominant amateur prior, winning three LET Access events before turning pro. She will be on the LPGA Tour in 2026. Also, she is 6-foot-3.
Manon De Roey – De Roey feels a little bit like Europe’s equivalent to Lindy Duncan. A veteran who had a really nice year in 2025, clearing the way for a potential Solheim Cup debut. De Roey won on the LET in Australia and made the cut in three majors, finishing top-10 at the Chevron Championship. She also had back-to-back top-five finishes at the London PIF event and the CPKC Canadian Open.
Mimi Rhodes – Rhodes is yet another young LET star who American fans will see a lot more of in 2026. Rhodes won three times on the LET this past year in relatively short order. She also placed top 20 in the final major championship of the season at the AIG Women’s Open. While she feels like a bit of a stretch, there’s certainly strong potential she is on the team.
PROBABLY NOT
Georgia Hall – Georgia Hall is pregnant currently, and thus probably won’t be able to play regardless. That being said, it will be weird to see a team without Hall, who is part of that strong European core that has developed over the past 10 years. If she is back playing by that time, and shows good form, it isn’t impossible to see her on the team, but it is extremely unlikely.
Albane Valenzuela – Valenzuela was probably the last player on the team in 2024, and she did herself no favors, going 0-1-1 and giving up the final half point that gave the United States its win. If she has good early season results, it isn’t impossible for her to make the team, but she would probably have to earn her way on and not rely on a captain’s pick.
Emily Kristine Pedersen – I will never completely rule out Pedersen’s chances to make a Solheim Cup team, she has been a questionable selection in the past as well, but I think her time is probably done. She went 2-3 in 2024, bringing her overall record to 7-9-1. She is a strong four ball player, and would be a bit of a regional choice, but she didn’t finish in the top 10 once on the LPGA Tour in 2025.
Gemma Dryburgh – It’ll be interesting to see what kind of schedule Dryburgh plays in 2026 after the birth of her first child in December, but it is still a long road to a potential Solheim Cup appearance. Dryburgh doesn’t bring youth at 32-years-old, and had an underwhelming 2023 Solheim Cup, going 0-0-2. She did have some promising results down the stretch in 2025, but not really enough to move the needle on her placement here.
