Fnatic will continue with Fabian “GrabbZ” Lohmann as head coach in 2026 according to sources close to Sheep Esports. Despite a year marked by internal struggles, benching, and a disappointing Worlds run, the club decides to keep its trust within GrabbZ by signing him for one more year. From the very beginning, Fnatic's first choice has been to renew the German coach's contract due to the team's confidence in Grabbz to reclaim the title of best European team. Grabbz, in his negotiations with Fnatic, has informed the English club of some of his plans and possibilities that the English club could consider, including the possibility of re-establishing an academy.

He will thus be responsible for breaking the ceiling Fnatic hit this year. The Black and Orange have been part of the LEC’s top four all season, but were never able to surpass G2 Esports or Movistar KOI, nor even Karmine Corp, all three of whom won a split this year.

A year marked by frustration

Throughout 2025, GrabbZ was candid about the team’s struggles both on and off the Rift. On multiple occasions, he described Fnatic as “undisciplined,” noting resistance to change and poor communication during reviews and scrims. As he put it midyear in June during his weekly streams, "Listening to each other is not a quality we have, not only in games, but also in reviews." That candor reflected an organization that, despite talent, lacked cohesion and consistent motivation.

In his streams again, GrabbZ lamented the lack of collective drive within the squad. “It shouldn’t feel like I’m the only one who wants this more,” he said, describing players going through the motions rather than truly striving to improve. The frustration extended beyond gameplay. Fnatic’s mental and structural issues became just as pressing as their in-game weaknesses. As GrabbZ confessed, “Sometimes it felt more like a group therapy session than a top team.”

Turning points and lessons learned

Despite the setbacks, moments of growth appeared during the Summer Split after Marek "Humanoid" Brázda's bench in favor of Yoon "Poby" Sung-won's arrival. In an exclusive interview with Sheep Esports after qualifying for Worlds, GrabbZ reflected on the team’s progress: "This is the minimum we should aim for as a team. It sucks that it took so long." That bittersweet satisfaction revealed a coach still confident in the group’s potential, even if frustrated by the time lost to internal friction.

His approach at the end of the year focused less on results and more on mindset. The addition of sports psychologist Richard Wolter mid-season helped steady team morale during tense series and avoid emotional collapses that had haunted Fnatic in early splits. "In spring, if we lost a game, everything crumbled," GrabbZ explained. "Now, we’re more stable mentally, we keep believing and playing.”

But with so little time to get their players back on track, Fnatic missed their Worlds appearance, delivering one of the worst runs in the Black and Orange’s history at the tournament. They went out 0–3, managing to take only a single game off Movistar KOI — a team that had dominated them nearly all year. Another bitter season for the club, which still failed to reclaim any titles or glory, both in Europe and internationally.

For more roster changes, check out our Transfers Hub and Offseason Live Tracker.