Last updated: 6 September 2026
There is no 2026 Solheim Cup prize money. No purse, no winner’s cheque, no appearance fee. All 24 players at Bernardus Golf earn zero from the event, and so do both captains. That has been true of every edition since 1990.
Jump to: What players receive | Why there is no purse | Ryder Cup comparison | What they give up | FAQ
What Solheim Cup Players Receive Instead
No fee changes hands. No player is out of pocket either.
| Covered | Detail |
|---|---|
| Travel | Flights to and from the venue |
| Accommodation | Team hotel all week |
| Food and drink | Covered throughout |
| Apparel and gear | Full team uniform, custom bags |
| Family | Immediate family expenses |
| Allowance | Small weekly allowance |
| Gifts | Sponsor bags plus captain’s gifts |
Players also earn no Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking points. The week counts for nothing on a player’s record beyond the result.
Why There Is No Solheim Cup Prize Money
The event copied the Ryder Cup when it launched in 1990, including the rule that nobody gets paid. The idea is that players compete for a country and a continent, not a payout.
You see the same logic in the kit. Players drop their personal sponsor logos for the week and wear identical team uniforms. Selection is the reward.
Ryder Cup Pay vs Solheim Cup Prize Money
For 35 years both events paid nothing. That changed in 2025.
| Event | Team | Player payment |
|---|---|---|
| Solheim Cup | United States | None |
| Solheim Cup | Europe | None |
| Ryder Cup (2025 on) | United States | $500,000 |
| Ryder Cup | Europe | None |
The PGA of America voted in December 2024 to pay each American Ryder Cup player $500,000 at Bethpage Black. Of that, $300,000 goes to charity and $200,000 is a personal stipend. A $200,000 charity donation had been standard since 1999. The stipend was the new part.
The PGA of America said no players had asked for it. European Ryder Cup players, who still receive nothing, said publicly they did not want it.
What a 2026 Solheim vice-captain said about it
Mel Reid, a vice-captain on Anna Nordqvist’s 2026 European team, criticised the decision on the Quiet Please podcast. She described the Solheim setup: flights, hotels, a very small allowance, immediate family looked after and gifted. Her argument was that the PGA of America could have covered expenses the same way instead of creating a stipend that handed Europe a talking point.
Neither the LPGA nor the Ladies European Tour has signalled any plan to pay Solheim Cup players. The 2026 matches run on the same basis as every edition before them.
What These Players Give Up for the Week
The 2026 LPGA season is the richest in the tour’s 76 year history, with a record $132 million across 33 events. Against that, a zero payout stands out.
The clearest illustration came two weeks ago. At the FM Championship at TPC Boston, the last LPGA event before Bernardus, the purse was $4.4 million. Ruoning Yin won $660,000.
| Player | FM Championship (30 Aug) | Solheim Cup (13 Sep) |
|---|---|---|
| Rose Zhang | T4, $209,582 | $0 |
| Lottie Woad | T27, $33,669 | $0 |
Same players. Two weeks apart. One week pays six figures, the other pays nothing.
That gap is why Solheim Cup prize money keeps coming up, and why the 2025 Ryder Cup decision caused an argument. The question was never whether these players need the money. It was whether paying them changes what the week means.
Solheim Cup Prize Money FAQ
Do Solheim Cup players get paid?
No. There is no prize money for either team and no payment for players, captains or vice-captains. Travel, hotels, food, apparel, gear and immediate family expenses are covered, plus a small weekly allowance.
How much does the winning Solheim Cup team get?
Nothing. There is no purse and no winner’s cheque. The winning team receives the trophy. That has applied to every edition since 1990.
Why is there no Solheim Cup prize money?
The event copied the Ryder Cup model in 1990, which paid nobody. Players compete for their country and continent, and selection itself is treated as the reward. Neither tour has announced plans to change it.
Do Ryder Cup players get paid more than Solheim Cup players?
American ones do, from 2025. The PGA of America pays each United States Ryder Cup player $500,000, split into $300,000 for charity and a $200,000 stipend. European Ryder Cup players get nothing, and neither Solheim Cup team gets anything.
Do Solheim Cup players earn world ranking points?
No. The Solheim Cup carries no Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking points. Results do not affect a player’s world ranking.
How much could a player earn at a normal LPGA event instead?
A lot. The 2026 LPGA season carries a record $132 million across 33 events. At the FM Championship two weeks before Bernardus, the purse was $4.4 million and the winner took $660,000. Rose Zhang earned $209,582 there for a tied fourth.
Does the Solheim Cup captain get paid?
No. Angela Stanford and Anna Nordqvist are unpaid, as are their vice-captains. Expenses are covered. Being named captain is regarded as one of the significant honours in women’s golf.
See both squads on the Solheim Cup 2026 teams page, or the full schedule for Bernardus Golf. Official team and event details are published on the Solheim Cup website.