The 2024 BetOnline Mosconi Cup: Meet The Teams

The teams are set for the highly anticipated 2024 BetOnline Mosconi Cup, with Team USA and Team Europe preparing to face off in the Sunshine State for the first time in the event’s history.

Taking place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando from 30 November to 3 December, this prestigious tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, DAZN in the USA, and by other broadcasters worldwide, bringing fans around the globe into the heart of the action.

Team USA
Skyler Woodward (Captain of Team USA)
Fedor Gorst (World Champion)
Shane Van Boening (Five-time US Open Champion)
Tyler Styer (Two-time Mosconi Cup winner)
Billy Thorpe (Two-time Mosconi Cup winner)

Team Europe
Jayson Shaw (Captain of Team Europe)
Eklent Kaçi (Two-time Mosconi Cup winner)
David Alcaide (Four-time Mosconi Cup winner)
Mickey Krause (European Open Champion)
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (Former World Champion)

Each team is composed of five players, with the top three qualifying through the 2024 World Nineball Tour Rankings. Following on from the 2023 format, the qualification cut-offs followed three major events: the European Open Championship, US Open Pool Championship, and Hanoi Open Pool Championship. The remaining two players were selected as Captain’s Wildcards.

For the first time since 2005, Skyler Woodward and Jayson Shaw will lead Team USA and Team Europe, respectively, as playing captains. Both are seasoned Mosconi Cup veterans and previously served as playing vice-captains during the 2022 and 2023 Mosconi Cups. Although both captains narrowly missed out on automatic qualification after the Hanoi Open, they filled the first wildcard spots to bring their expertise and leadership to this year’s teams.

The road to qualification began at the 2024 World Pool Championship, where Fedor Gorst and Eklent Kaçi secured their spots for Team USA and Team Europe, respectively, following an electrifying race-to-15 final. Their outstanding performances in this hill-hill thriller underscored their readiness for the 2024 BetOnline Mosconi Cup.

Five-time US Open champion Shane Van Boening and four-time Mosconi Cup winner David Alcaide filled the second qualifier positions. Van Boening will make history with his 18th Mosconi Cup appearance, the most by any player in the tournament’s history, while Alcaide hopes to add a fifth title to his impressive record.

Following the conclusion of the Hanoi Open Pool Championship, the third qualification spots went to Mickey Krause and Tyler Styer. Krause will make his Mosconi Cup debut, having won his first Matchroom singles title at the European Open Pool Championship earlier this year. Styer, meanwhile, secured his place on Team USA after becoming only the third player to win back-to-back WNT ranking events, proving his consistency and determination this year.

Completing the teams as final wildcard picks, two-time Mosconi Cup winners Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Billy Thorpe bring additional experience and firepower. Former world champion Ruiz returns to Team Europe again this year, while Thorpe re-joins Team USA after last competing in 2020.

Defending champions Team Europe enter the 31st edition of this iconic tournament with confidence, aiming for their fifth consecutive title after an impressive 11-3 victory over Team USA last year at London’s Alexandra Palace.

The two teams will come face-to-face for the first time at the BetOnline Mosconi Cup press conference on 29 November 2024. Tickets for the press conference will be announced soon, allowing fans to witness the start of this thrilling showdown up close.

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