Toplaner Mohamed "Boda" Yahia is set to join BK ROG Esports in the Ligue Française de League of Legends (LFL), sources tell Sheep Esports on Monday. At 19, the Egyptian toplaner is leaving the Arabian League, where he has played since 2021, to join the LFL, taking over from Mathias “Szygenda” Jensen.

Boda spent 2025 with Geekay Esports, where they won all three Arabian League splits. However, the EMEA Masters proved more challenging, with the team exiting in the quarterfinals twice — a disappointment for a roster that had ambitions of going much further as a flagship of the league.

A challenging offseason for BK ROG

BK ROG entered the offseason later than most teams, which forced them to explore the international market extensively before making decisions on their toplaner and jungler positions. The team initially looked toward North America, where the priority was Jett "Srtty" Joye, as the original plan involved pairing a North American jungler with the roster. Several players were evaluated across regions, but the absence of a gaming house for 2025 made negotiations with certain candidates more difficult.

BK ROG also looked at other North American and European profiles such as Lim "Soboro" Seong-min, Baek "Mihile" Sang-hwi, Gia "Addusto" Huy Khuat, and Krzysztof "frajgo" Chibowski. In Europe, Kryze was considered as well, alongside the toplaners already known to be in contention. The selection process for the top lane was described internally as particularly complex, with multiple profiles showing strong maturity and potential for long-term development.

What ultimately tipped the scales was Boda’s current level of mechanics and his ability to shotcall despite his young age, which aligned with the stability and clarity BK ROG wanted for their 2026 lineup.

Arabian League players abroad

The league is increasingly exporting talent. Boda will be the next player to move abroad and join the LFL after Waleed “Dekap” Mohammed Ismail joined Vitality.Bee last year and was retained for 2026. Visa issues have often caused problems, and players are less known in the EMEA scene due to the remoteness. However, Boda might not relocate to France, as BK ROG won’t have a gaming house in 2025.

BK ROG are coming off a year where they claimed the first LFL title in their history during the Spring Split. Several roster changes occurred along the way, but Szygenda remained a constant presence throughout the season. On his side, Boda has built quite a career despite his young age.

Starting with Team Occupy in 2021, he went on to play for 3BL, GnG Esports, and Anubis Gaming. The highlight of Boda’s early career came in Summer 2023, when he reached the league finals — losing to Anubis — and competed at the EMEA Masters for the first time, though his run ended in the Play-In stage.

In 2024, Boda and his team won the Spring Split and advanced to the EMEA Masters quarterfinals, a performance that not only put Boda on the map but also helped raise the profile of the entire league. During the Summer Split, they fell short in the finals against Geekay — a club Boda would later join in 2025 as part of a star-studded roster. Despite dominating domestically with three AL Split titles, international success remained just out of reach, with the team never making it past the EMEA quarterfinals.

BK ROG Esports 2026 reported roster:

Top: Mohamed "Boda" Yahia
Jungle: TBD
Mid: TBD
AD Carry: TBD
Support: Mads "Doss" Schwartz
Head Coach: TBD

Header Photo Credit: Geekay/BK ROG Esports