Key takeaways
- Thorsten Hohmann declined his Mosconi Cup 2026 Team USA place in a Facebook post on Oct. 24.
- He had climbed to second in the US qualifying race by reaching the last 16 of the Philippines Open in Quezon City.
- Shane Van Boening holds an automatic spot; Fedor Gorst could move into the top three, per Absolute Pool.
- The Mosconi Cup runs Nov. 27-30 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Why did Thorsten Hohmann turn down Team USA?
Thorsten Hohmann has declined his place on the Mosconi Cup 2026 Team USA roster, days after a run to the last 16 of the Philippines Open lifted him into an automatic qualifying position. The 47-year-old announced the decision in a Facebook post on Oct. 24, which AZBilliards published in full.
His reason was form. “I have to be honest about my game,” Hohmann wrote, explaining that he often plays well in practice but has not found the same consistency under tournament pressure. He also mentioned the time several business ventures have taken, said that above all he wants Team USA to win, and added that he hopes to be in Orlando to support the team if he is in the country that week.
Born in Fulda, Germany, Hohmann has lived in the US for more than 20 years and became an American citizen last year, which made him eligible for the US side. He won world nine-ball titles in 2003 and 2013 and the 2006 world straight pool title, and played for Team Europe three times between 2003 and 2009 without finishing on the winning side.
Who could take the open Mosconi Cup 2026 Team USA spot?
The decision reopens the roster just as qualifying wrapped up. The Philippines Open, the last big stop before the cutoff, ran Oct. 20-24 at Gateway Mall in Quezon City and ended with Johann Chua beating Anton Raga 11-9 in an all-Filipino final. Each Mosconi Cup team has five players: the top three on a one-year ranking qualify automatically, and two wildcards complete the side.
Shane Van Boening holds an automatic place. According to Absolute Pool, Hohmann’s run in Manila moved him to second in the US race, ahead of Tyler Styer and Fedor Gorst, and his withdrawal could lift Gorst into an automatic spot. The same report named Justin Bergman and Skylar Woodward as leading wildcard candidates for captain Johan Ruijsink. As of Oct. 26, the World Nineball Tour had not announced a replacement or the full line-up.
Absolute Pool notes that Gorst is the only active player to have represented both Europe and the US at the event. For background on the cutoff and the eligibility debate earlier this fall, see our Team USA qualification story.
When and where is the Mosconi Cup 2026?
The 2026 Mosconi Cup runs Nov. 27-30 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Europe arrives as defending champion under captain Niels Feijen, while Ruijsink leads the Americans again.
US viewers can follow it on ESPN platforms under the broadcast agreement the World Nineball Tour announced this year. The tour has not yet said when it will confirm the final Team USA roster, including both wildcards.
From the workshop
Hohmann’s explanation is one almost every league player will recognize: the stroke that flows on a quiet practice table tightens up when the match counts. From a cue maker’s bench, it is worth saying plainly that this gap is rarely about equipment. When form dips, the easy move is to change something you can buy, such as a new shaft, a harder tip or a different weight, and doing that close to a big event usually adds one more variable to an arm that is already nervous.
The better approach is to settle your setup well ahead of the leagues and tournaments you care about: weight, tip, shaft taper and joint, then leave it alone so your hands stop noticing it. Our guide on how to choose a pool cue walks through those choices. A cue you trust will not fix pressure, but it removes one thing to doubt when the pressure arrives.
Quick answers
Who is on Mosconi Cup 2026 Team USA?
Shane Van Boening holds an automatic place, and the rest of the five-player roster had not been officially confirmed as of Oct. 26, 2026. Fedor Gorst could move into an automatic spot after Thorsten Hohmann declined his place.
Why did Thorsten Hohmann decline the Mosconi Cup?
Hohmann said his tournament form has not matched his practice play and that business commitments have taken considerable time. He said he wants Team USA to win and hopes to support the team in Orlando.
How are Mosconi Cup teams selected?
The top three players on each side’s one-year ranking qualify automatically. Two wildcard selections complete each five-player team.
When is the 2026 Mosconi Cup?
The 2026 Mosconi Cup is scheduled for Nov. 27-30 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, with Europe defending the title.
Sources
- 'I have to be honest about my game': Hohmann declines spot on USA Mosconi Cup team (Absolute Pool, 2026-10-25)
- Hohmann Declines Mosconi Cup Spot (AZBilliards, 2026-10-24)
- Mosconi Cup drama peaks as Philippines Open field narrows to final 16 (Absolute Pool, 2026-10-22)
- Chua Crowned King Of The Philippines In All-Filipino Final Thriller (AZBilliards, 2026-10-24)
- Mosconi Cup 2026: Ranking Structure Confirmed for Sunshine State Showdown (World Nineball Tour, 2026-04-28)
How this story was made: drafted with AI assistance from the reports above, written in our own words and published by the Muraki workshop team. Results and figures are as reported by those sources at the time of publishing. Spot something wrong? Tell us and we will correct it.
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Every Muraki cue is turned, inlaid and finished by hand in our workshop, then numbered and shipped to players across the US, Canada and worldwide. Tell us how you play and we will quote one for you, usually the same day.
