Last updated: 6 September 2026
Angela Stanford and Anna Nordqvist are the Solheim Cup captains in 2026, and both are doing the job for the first time. Across 20 editions since 1990, Mickey Walker has led Europe more often than anyone with four consecutive captaincies. Juli Inkster and Catriona Matthew are the only captains to win two or more.
Jump to: 2026 captains | Every captain | Most captaincies | Vice-captains | FAQ
Solheim Cup 2026 Captains
| Team | Captain | Playing career | First captaincy |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Angela Stanford | 6 appearances, 2003 to 2015 | Yes |
| Europe | Anna Nordqvist | 9 appearances, 2009 to 2024 | Yes |
Stanford was a vice-captain in 2021, 2023 and 2024 before stepping up. She also holds the detail that matters most this week: she made the Cup winning putt at St Leon-Rot in 2015, the last time the United States won on European soil.
Nordqvist takes over from Suzann Pettersen. She scored 16.5 points as a player, which puts her joint eighth on the all time Solheim Cup records list, and she was a playing vice-captain in both 2023 and 2024.
Every Solheim Cup Captain Since 1990
Winning captains are marked with a W.
| Year | Europe | United States | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Anna Nordqvist | Angela Stanford | To be played |
| 2024 | Suzann Pettersen | Stacy Lewis (W) | USA 15.5 to 12.5 |
| 2023 | Suzann Pettersen | Stacy Lewis | Tied 14 to 14 |
| 2021 | Catriona Matthew (W) | Pat Hurst | Europe 15 to 13 |
| 2019 | Catriona Matthew (W) | Juli Inkster | Europe 14.5 to 13.5 |
| 2017 | Annika Sorenstam | Juli Inkster (W) | USA 16.5 to 11.5 |
| 2015 | Carin Koch | Juli Inkster (W) | USA 14.5 to 13.5 |
| 2013 | Liselotte Neumann (W) | Meg Mallon | Europe 18 to 10 |
| 2011 | Alison Nicholas (W) | Rosie Jones | Europe 15 to 13 |
| 2009 | Alison Nicholas | Beth Daniel (W) | USA 16 to 12 |
| 2007 | Helen Alfredsson | Betsy King (W) | USA 16 to 12 |
| 2005 | Catrin Nilsmark | Nancy Lopez (W) | USA 15.5 to 12.5 |
| 2003 | Catrin Nilsmark (W) | Patty Sheehan | Europe 17.5 to 10.5 |
| 2002 | Dale Reid | Patty Sheehan (W) | USA 15.5 to 12.5 |
| 2000 | Dale Reid (W) | Pat Bradley | Europe 14.5 to 11.5 |
| 1998 | Pia Nilsson | Judy Rankin (W) | USA 16 to 12 |
| 1996 | Mickey Walker | Judy Rankin (W) | USA 17 to 11 |
| 1994 | Mickey Walker | JoAnne Carner (W) | USA 13 to 7 |
| 1992 | Mickey Walker (W) | Kathy Whitworth | Europe 11.5 to 6.5 |
| 1990 | Mickey Walker | Kathy Whitworth (W) | USA 11.5 to 4.5 |
Captains With the Most Solheim Cups
| Captain | Team | Captaincies | Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mickey Walker | Europe | 4 (1990 to 1996) | 1 |
| Juli Inkster | USA | 3 (2015, 2017, 2019) | 2 |
| Catriona Matthew | Europe | 2 (2019, 2021) | 2 |
| Suzann Pettersen | Europe | 2 (2023, 2024) | 0 |
| Judy Rankin | USA | 2 (1996, 1998) | 2 |
| Dale Reid | Europe | 2 (2000, 2002) | 1 |
| Catrin Nilsmark | Europe | 2 (2003, 2005) | 1 |
| Alison Nicholas | Europe | 2 (2009, 2011) | 1 |
| Kathy Whitworth | USA | 2 (1990, 1992) | 1 |
| Patty Sheehan | USA | 2 (2002, 2003) | 1 |
| Stacy Lewis | USA | 2 (2023, 2024) | 1 |
Catriona Matthew and Judy Rankin are the only captains with a perfect record. Matthew won at Gleneagles in 2019 and again at Inverness in 2021, the second of those on American soil.
Mickey Walker led Europe through the first four editions and won once, in 1992 at Dalmahoy. Nobody has captained more often.
Vice-Captains at Bernardus in 2026
| Team | Vice-captains |
|---|---|
| Europe | Caroline Hedwall, Mel Reid, Anne van Dam |
| United States | Kristy McPherson, Brittany Lang, Paula Creamer |
Anne van Dam is the local pick. She is Dutch, and this is the first Solheim Cup staged in the Netherlands, so Nordqvist has someone in the team room who knows the ground and the crowd.
Paula Creamer brings the strongest playing record of the six. She scored 19.5 points across 31 matches, sixth on the all time list, and holds the American record for foursomes points.
Most Solheim Cup captains come up through the vice-captain route, which is why both 2026 appointments were predictable. Stanford assisted three times and Nordqvist twice before taking charge. Expect several of this week’s six to captain a side of their own by 2032.
Solheim Cup Captains FAQ
Who are the Solheim Cup captains in 2026?
Angela Stanford leads the United States and Anna Nordqvist leads Europe. Both are captaining for the first time. Stanford was a vice-captain in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and Nordqvist was a playing vice-captain in 2023 and 2024.
Who has captained the Solheim Cup most times?
Mickey Walker of Europe, who led the side in the first four editions from 1990 to 1996. Juli Inkster is next with three consecutive American captaincies in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Which Solheim Cup captains never lost?
Catriona Matthew and Judy Rankin. Matthew won in 2019 at Gleneagles and 2021 at Inverness. Rankin won in 1996 and 1998. Both finished with a perfect two from two.
Do Solheim Cup captains get paid?
No. Captains and vice-captains are unpaid, exactly like the players. Expenses for the week are covered. There is no Solheim Cup prize money for anyone involved.
Who are the 2026 Solheim Cup vice-captains?
Europe has Caroline Hedwall, Mel Reid and Anne van Dam. The United States has Kristy McPherson, Brittany Lang and Paula Creamer. Van Dam is Dutch, in the first Solheim Cup held in the Netherlands.
How are Solheim Cup captains chosen?
The LPGA appoints the American captain and the Ladies European Tour appoints the European one. There is no fixed rule, but almost every recent captain served as a vice-captain first, and most are former players with several appearances behind them.
Who was the last American captain to win in Europe?
Juli Inkster, at St Leon-Rot in Germany in 2015, by 14.5 to 13.5. Angela Stanford played on that team and made the Cup winning putt. No American captain has won away from home since.
See the current squads on the Solheim Cup 2026 teams page, the full schedule for Bernardus, or the all time records. Official appointments are announced on the Solheim Cup website.