NAVI Releases Entire VALORANT Roster After Losing VCT 2027 Partnership

Natus Vincere (NAVI) has released its entire main VALORANT roster and head coach ahead of the 2027 competitive season. The Ukrainian esports organization announced the departures on October 28, 2026, following confirmation that it would not retain its partnership in the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA league.

The decision ends NAVI's four-year run as a partnered VCT organization, but it does not mark its departure from the game. NAVI plans to continue competing through its academy team, NAVI Junior, which will pursue qualification for VCT EMEA Kickoff 2027.

NAVI confirmed the departure of all five players from its 2026 main roster. The outgoing lineup consists of Emirhan "hiro" Kat, Uğur "Ruxic" Güç, Caide "chloric" Heaton, Abdulla "ExiT" Al-Tuwaijri, and Clément "CyvOph" Millard.

Head coach Kyrylo "ANGE1" Karasov is also leaving the organization. The former professional player transitioned into coaching after several years competing at the highest level of VALORANT, including NAVI's appearance at Champions 2023.

In its official announcement, NAVI thanked everyone who had represented its VALORANT division throughout the 2026 season and wished the departing members success in their future careers.

The roster changes follow a difficult year for the organization. NAVI finished seventh to eighth at VCT EMEA Kickoff and ninth to tenth in Stage 1. Despite making further changes during the season, the team failed to return to international competition. NAVI has not announced where its departing players and coach will compete next.

On October 19, NAVI announced that it had not been selected to continue as a partnered organization for VCT 2027.

The decision followed Riot Games' evaluation of more than 100 organizations interested in joining its renewed partnership program. Riot selected 32 teams across four territories, with eight partners each in the Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China.

The VCT EMEA lineup for 2027 includes BBL Esports, FNATIC, FUT Esports, Gentle Mates, Karmine Corp, Team Heretics, Team Liquid, and Team Vitality.

NAVI had competed in the partnered EMEA league since its introduction in 2023. Its departure from the program means the organization will no longer receive the benefits associated with partnership, including guaranteed entry into VCT Kickoff.

However, Riot's new competitive structure provides another route into the top tier. Non-partnered teams can qualify for major events through open tournaments, giving NAVI an opportunity to continue competing without a partnership agreement.

Rather than assembling another senior roster immediately, NAVI will focus its resources on NAVI Junior. The academy project was established in 2026 to develop young players and provide experience in professional competition. Its roster includes Javelin, Kolosha, Darxcio, avey, and sizo, with Ivan "Johnta" Shevtsov serving as coach.

NAVI Junior has already achieved promising results, finishing runner-up at VALORANT Challengers 2026 EMEA Stage 2. The team also competed at Project Blender 2026 Phase 2, reaching the semifinals before losing to CGN. The academy roster will now attempt to qualify for VCT EMEA Kickoff through the new open qualification system.

Under Riot Games' 2027 format, VCT EMEA Kickoff will feature 12 teams. Eight places are reserved for partnered organizations, while the remaining four will be awarded through open qualifiers beginning in November 2026.

Qualifying would give NAVI Junior an opportunity to compete against established VCT organizations and pursue advancement to international tournaments. NAVI has not announced plans to sign a replacement senior roster. Its immediate focus will be on supporting the academy team as it prepares for the upcoming qualification campaign.