Presidents Cup rules, format, prize money and who is playing for each team

The US team celebrating at the 2024 Presidents Cup. (Image: Getty)

What is it: Established by the PGA Tour in 1994, the Presidents Cup is a prestigious biennial match-play competition that pits the United States against an International team of non-European players, serving as a Ryder Cup equivalent for the rest of the world.

Who is playing: Each 12-man squad of top male professionals is assembled via point qualification and captain's picks, with non-playing captains—Brandt Snedeker (USA) and Geoff Ogilvy (International)—managing pairings and overall strategy for this year's contest.

Tournament format: Held over four days from Thursday through Sunday, the 30-match event includes 18 team contests (split between four-ball and foursomes alternate shot) during the first three days, followed by 12 head-to-head singles matches on Sunday.

Match scoring: Every match offers 1 point to the winner (0.5 points to each team for a deadlock after 18 holes), with holes won by the fewest strokes and a match concluding once a side leads by more holes than are left to play.

Points to win: Teams need 15.5 out of 30 possible points to capture the trophy outright; a 15–15 tie results in a shared title until the subsequent edition.

Prize money: Competitors earn no purse or individual payout, choosing instead to play for pride while allocating designated event proceeds to charities of their choice.

Charitable impact: A major pillar of the event's identity, the tournament has generated over £41million for hundreds of charitable causes globally since its founding.

2026 Presidents Cup: Set for September 24–27, 2026, at Medinah Country Club’s Course No. 3 near Chicago, Illinois, the event sees Team USA defending their title after a strong 18.5–11.5 win at Royal Montreal in 2024.

Star players: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler leads Team USA along with Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, and Wyndham Clark, while the International side features marquee talents Hideki Matsuyama, Kim Si-woo, Adam Scott, and Ryan Fox.