Anne Van Dam, captain of Team Europe's PING Junior Solheim Cup squad, has expressed strong optimism that her young players possess the character and determination needed to reclaim the trophy from Team USA this week at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
Twelve of Europe's most promising golfers, aged between 12 and 18, will represent the continent in matches against Team USA on September 7 and 8. The event takes place just three days before the senior Solheim Cup commences on September 11, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
This represents a historic moment for the competition. Bernardus Golf will become the first course ever to host both the Solheim Cup and the PING Junior Solheim Cup in the same year, creating an unprecedented opportunity for the junior players to compete on the same venue as the sport's elite.
The 2026 edition also marks a first in another respect: Van Dam will become the inaugural PING Junior Solheim Cup captain to simultaneously serve as a Solheim Cup vice-captain, working alongside Anna Nordqvist in the senior competition. Bronte Law, who was Van Dam's team-mate in the 2013 PING Junior Solheim Cup, will serve as her vice-captain for the junior event.
Team USA arrive as favourites, with Morgan Pressel leading the American side as captain. The visitors are defending champions following their victory at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia in 2024. However, Van Dam remains undaunted by the challenge ahead.
My team are all fighters. One thing they have in common is they all have big personalities and very feisty attitudes. I know they will fight hard to the last putt. That's sometimes a very hard thing to teach someone. You either have that, or you don't. Everyone on our team has that.
Van Dam highlighted the mental resilience of her squad as a defining characteristic. She emphasised that her players possess an innate competitive drive that cannot be manufactured through coaching alone.
I'm very excited to see that come out and have them fight for it. I know Europe is a little bit behind, maybe in the total standings, and I would love for them to catch up.
The all-time record between the two nations tells a story of American dominance. Team USA leads the head-to-head record 8-4-1 in PING Junior Solheim Cup history. However, when these rivals last met on European soil in 2023, the narrative shifted dramatically. Team Europe claimed a commanding 15-9 victory in Spain, demonstrating that the Americans are far from invincible on the continent.
Van Dam expressed genuine excitement about the calibre of talent within her squad and the unique circumstances surrounding this year's event.
I'm very excited for the next couple of days and to follow them throughout the rest of their careers. There's a lot of superstars on the team. I can tell from the moment I started talking to my players how much they are looking forward to the opportunity to hopefully learn a lot from me and Bronte. For them, playing on the same venue as the Solheim Cup is groundbreaking.
Europe's emerging talent
The top six European players in the PING Junior Solheim Cup rankings following the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship in August earned automatic selection. Van Dam then exercised her captain's discretion to complete the squad.
Spain's Marta Muñoz received one of Van Dam's captain's picks after defeating her compatriot Adriana García Terol in the 36-hole final of the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship in August. García Terol herself qualified automatically through the PING Junior Solheim Cup rankings, as did Switzerland's Lana Guyot, who reached the semi-finals of the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship.
England's Lauren Crump, who won the Annika Invitational Europe in Sweden in June, secured automatic qualification via the PING Junior Solheim Cup rankings. Her fellow English player Annabel Peaford was selected as a captain's pick.
The European team was officially confirmed on August 18, 2026, with six nations represented in the 12-player lineup, including players from Spain, France, Germany, England, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.
America's star-studded roster
Team USA's lineup is headlined by Asterisk Talley, who has featured in the PING Junior Solheim Cup in both 2023 and 2024. Talley currently holds the No 1 ranking in the Rolex American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) rankings and has enjoyed a stellar 2026 campaign, highlighted by victory at the US Women's Amateur Championship in August.
Amelie Zalsman has demonstrated exceptional consistency throughout 2026, recording top-five finishes across all of her AJGA starts this season. She finished as runner-up in the US Girls' Junior Championship in July, showcasing her ability to perform under pressure in major championships.
Anna Fang, who played a key role in Team USA's triumph at the 2024 PING Junior Solheim Cup, has continued her upward trajectory. She has risen to 52nd in the Women's World Amateur Golf Rankings following a brilliant 12 months, which included a runner-up finish at the Rolex Tournament of Champions in 2025.
Experience at the highest level
Both Van Dam and Law bring substantial pedigree to their roles. The pair competed together in the 2013 PING Junior Solheim Cup and will draw on that experience to guide Team Europe's next generation.
The American side can also call upon players with junior championship experience. Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson and Alison Lee have all previously competed in the PING Junior Solheim Cup before going on to establish themselves as leading figures in professional golf.
On the European side, several players who featured in previous junior competitions have gone on to represent the continent at the senior Solheim Cup. Charley Hull, Georgia Hall and 2026 Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist all competed in the PING Junior Solheim Cup earlier in their careers, demonstrating the pathway from junior success to elite competition.
Format and schedule
The opening ceremony takes place on September 6, 2026, ahead of match play beginning on September 7. The competition will unfold across two days of intense competition.
On Monday, September 7, the teams will contest six four-ball matches and six foursomes matches. This format requires players to work in pairs, combining their skills and tactical awareness to outmanoeuvre their opponents.
Tuesday, September 8 will feature 12 singles matches, where individual players compete head-to-head. This format often produces the most dramatic moments, as each player carries the responsibility of securing points for their team.
The event features 24 players in total, with a girls 12-18 invitational field, representing the elite of junior golf across both continents.
What comes next
Following the conclusion of the PING Junior Solheim Cup on September 8, the junior players will remain at Bernardus Golf to witness the senior Solheim Cup, which begins on September 11. This unique arrangement allows the next generation of European golfers to observe and learn from the world's best players competing at the highest level of women's golf.
The senior competition will be broadcast live on Sky Sports across all three days from September 11 to 13, with coverage exclusively available on Sky Sports Golf.
