Charley Hull Urged to ‘Step Up and Lead’ Team Europe at 2026 Solheim Cup
Team Europe captain Anna Nordqvist has finalised her 12-player squad for the 2026 Solheim Cup, with Dame Laura Davies calling on Charley Hull to take on a leadership role when Europe faces the United States in September.
Hull is one of the most experienced players in the European team and will make her eighth Solheim Cup appearance alongside Spain’s Carlota Ciganda.
The 2026 Solheim Cup will take place in the Netherlands from September 11-13, with Europe attempting to regain the trophy after the United States retained it in 2024.
Nordqvist completed her squad on Monday by selecting Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, France’s Nastasia Nadaud and England’s Mimi Rhodes as her four captain’s picks.
Hull enters the competition in strong form. The Englishwoman has recorded three top-10 finishes in the five majors during 2026, including a share of sixth at the AIG Women’s Open.
Davies, Europe’s record-holder for Solheim Cup appearances, believes Hull can play a crucial role for the team.
“It’s a really strong looking team,” Davies told the Sky Sports Golf Podcast. “You’ve got the experience, some of them are young but really well experienced in Solheim Cup golf. I think it’s a lovely blend.”
Davies added: “I think Charley will be the leader again and we’ll need her to perform like she did before. I know it was in a losing performance over there in Virginia, but she’s got to step up and lead that team out.”
Nordqvist also highlighted Hull’s importance, particularly after seeing the Englishwoman embrace the atmosphere during the previous Solheim Cup.
“You’re just going to let Charley be Charley,” Nordqvist said.
“It was really nice to see how much she really enjoyed the Solheim Cup last time in Washington. I know we lost, but just seeing her enjoy the whole experience, light up the team room just with her personality.”
Nordqvist added that Hull is currently playing some of the best golf of her career and believes she thrives on major occasions.
“It’s great to see her playing probably the best golf of her life, being up there in majors. She lives for those moments, so I can’t wait to see her tee it up,” the European captain said.
Maguire Returns for Europe
One of the biggest decisions surrounding Nordqvist’s captain’s picks was the inclusion of Leona Maguire.
The Irishwoman was unbeaten during her Solheim Cup debut in 2021 and has subsequently represented Europe in 2023 and 2024.
Although Maguire did not qualify automatically, she was the highest-ranked European player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings among those who failed to secure an automatic place.
Her 2026 season has included three top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, although she missed the cut in four of the five majors.
Nordqvist nevertheless believes Maguire’s Solheim Cup record makes her an important selection.
“Leona just has that little special thing that you need in the Solheim Cup. I wouldn’t want to play against her. I’m glad she’s on my team,” Nordqvist said.
Davies strongly supported the decision, pointing to Maguire’s record in the competition.
“She was an absolute lock, no question about it,” Davies said.
Maguire has accumulated eight-and-a-half points from 12 Solheim Cup matches, giving her a strong record despite a difficult campaign in 2024.
Europe’s 12-Player Team
Nordqvist’s final squad combines established Solheim Cup players with several younger competitors.
The team will be without Georgia Hall, who gave birth earlier this year, while Madelene Sagstrom is also unavailable as she is due to give birth in September.
Nordqvist will also have the unusual experience of leading Europe as captain after making nine consecutive appearances as a player.
Davies believes the mixture of experience and youth can give Europe a strong chance of challenging the United States.
“What we have got is a good nucleus of players that have played a lot of Solheim Cups and then the younger players that are just keen as mustard and want to get out there and play,” Davies said.
With Hull and Ciganda providing significant Solheim Cup experience and Maguire returning as a proven performer in the competition, Europe will hope the combination can help them reclaim the trophy on home soil.
The 2026 Solheim Cup will be played from September 11-13 in the Netherlands.
Analysis: Why Charley Hull Could Be Central to Europe’s Solheim Cup Hopes
Team Europe’s final 12-player squad for the 2026 Solheim Cup has a clear mixture of experience, youth and proven match-play ability. But among the names selected by captain Anna Nordqvist, Charley Hull stands out as one of the players likely to carry significant responsibility when Europe takes on the United States in the Netherlands.
Hull’s importance is not simply about her number of previous Solheim Cup appearances. Her current form makes her role even more significant. According to the information provided by Sky Sports, Hull has finished inside the top 10 in three of the five majors in 2026, including a share of sixth at the AIG Women’s Open.
That kind of form gives Europe a reason to expect Hull to be one of its leading performers. The Solheim Cup is different from ordinary tournament golf, however. Players must adapt to match play, different partners, changing momentum and the intense pressure created by team competition.
That is where Hull’s experience becomes particularly valuable.
Dame Laura Davies described Hull as someone who needs to “step up and lead” Europe. The comment reflects the position Hull now occupies within the squad. She is no longer simply one of the younger players gaining experience. With eight Solheim Cup appearances, she is among the most experienced members of the team.
Carlota Ciganda also has eight appearances, meaning the pair can provide valuable knowledge to players making their first appearance in the competition.
Experience Could Be Crucial
Europe enters the 2026 contest without two experienced players who have been important figures in recent years.
Georgia Hall is absent after giving birth earlier in the year, while Madelene Sagstrom is expected to miss the competition because she is due to give birth in September. Nordqvist herself will also not play, having moved into the captain’s role after nine consecutive Solheim Cup appearances.
Those absences increase the importance of the experienced players who remain.
Hull and Ciganda can therefore help establish the culture of the European team. Their experience of previous Solheim Cups could be particularly useful to the rookies, who will have to deal with an atmosphere very different from that of a normal LPGA or Ladies European Tour event.
This is one reason Davies believes Europe has a “lovely blend” of experienced competitors and younger players.
The younger selections — Julia Lopez Ramirez, Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes — bring an element of unpredictability. They may not have Solheim Cup experience, but they have earned the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
The challenge for Nordqvist will be finding the right balance between experience and youthful energy.
Leona Maguire Adds Another Dimension
Leona Maguire’s selection may prove particularly important.
The Irishwoman did not qualify automatically, but her history in the Solheim Cup made her difficult to overlook. Maguire was unbeaten during her debut in 2021 and has accumulated eight-and-a-half points from 12 matches, according to Davies.
That statistic explains why Nordqvist was willing to select her despite a season that has not consistently matched her previous standards.
Team events can sometimes bring out qualities that are difficult to measure through ordinary tournament results. A player can struggle for form in stroke play but become extremely effective in match play because of their temperament, competitiveness and ability to handle pressure.
Nordqvist’s description of Maguire as someone she would not want to face demonstrates the confidence the captain has in her mentality.
For Europe, Maguire’s selection is therefore about more than current form. It is about trust.
Hull’s Leadership Does Not Mean Carrying the Team Alone
Davies’ call for Hull to lead should not be interpreted as meaning that Europe expects her to win the competition by herself.
The Solheim Cup requires contributions throughout the team. Foursomes and four-ball matches demand partnerships, communication and tactical decisions. A player who performs strongly alongside a teammate can be just as important as an individual star.
Hull’s leadership could therefore be more about setting the tone.
Nordqvist specifically highlighted how Hull enjoyed the previous Solheim Cup experience and how her personality helped energise the team room. That is important because team morale can influence how players respond to difficult moments.
Europe will need players who can remain positive if the United States gets off to a strong start. It will also need competitors who can take advantage when momentum shifts in Europe’s favour.
Hull’s personality and experience could make her particularly valuable in those circumstances.
The United States Remains the Major Challenge
Europe’s ultimate objective is straightforward: regain the Solheim Cup.
The United States retained the trophy in 2024, meaning Europe will enter the Netherlands determined to reverse the recent result. Playing at home should provide additional support, but home advantage does not automatically guarantee success.
The European players will still need to perform under pressure.
The strength of the American side also means Europe cannot rely on individual performances. The contest will likely be decided by the depth of both teams and the ability of their captains to make the right pairing and tactical decisions.
For Nordqvist, this will be a different challenge from the nine Solheim Cups she played as a competitor. She now has to decide which players work best together, when to use certain combinations and how to manage the energy of her squad across the competition.
Her own experience of the event should be a major advantage.
Why the Netherlands Could Suit Europe
Playing in the Netherlands gives Europe an opportunity to create an atmosphere around the home team.
The European squad will have supporters behind it, and that could be particularly valuable for the younger players. The responsibility, however, will be to turn that support into positive energy rather than additional pressure.
Hull is one player who should be familiar with handling large crowds and expectations.
Her recent major performances suggest she is comfortable competing on important stages. If she can bring that form into the Solheim Cup, she could become one of Europe’s biggest assets.
But her success should also be measured by how well she works within the team structure.
The Bigger Picture
Nordqvist’s final selections show that Europe has not simply chosen players based on their most recent results. The captain has considered experience, match-play qualities, personality and previous Solheim Cup performances.
Maguire is perhaps the clearest example. Her season has been inconsistent, but her record in this particular competition remains compelling.
The same principle applies to Hull.
Her recent form makes her an obvious candidate to lead by performance, while her eight previous appearances give her the experience to lead by example.
That combination is potentially powerful.
Europe will need its experienced players to perform, but the younger selections could also become decisive. If Lopez Ramirez, Nadaud and Rhodes adapt quickly to the unique demands of the Solheim Cup, Europe could have the depth required to challenge the Americans across the entire event.
Ultimately, the biggest question is whether Europe can convert its blend of experience and youth into consistent performances across three days.
Hull is likely to be one of the players under the spotlight. Davies has already challenged her to “step up and lead”, while Nordqvist has made clear how much she values Hull’s personality and current form.
The expectation is therefore clear.
Europe does not need Hull to be perfect. It needs her to be one of the leaders of a team that believes it can reclaim the trophy.
If Hull combines her current form with the experience she has gained from seven previous Solheim Cups, she could be one of the defining figures in Europe’s attempt to bring the trophy back home.
Source: Sky Sports
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