Sources: Jopa set to join SK Gaming in LEC

AD Carry Josip "Jopa" Čančar is set to join SK Gaming for the 2026 season after participating in tryouts with the organization. The 22-year-old Croatian talent will make his LEC debut following two years with Vitality.Bee in the LFL. During the offseason, he was also considered by Team Heretics and his former organization, Team Vitality. This information was shared with Sheep Esports by sources on Sunday.

With this move, SK Gaming becomes the first team to finalize its full roster for the 2026 LEC season. The organization’s early completion was made possible by prioritizing players who were not dependent on other teams’ roster decisions. The core trio of Martin "Wunder" Hansen, Adam "Lider" Ilyasov, and Mihael "Mikyx" Mehle had agreed to play together regardless of outside offers, while jungler Duncan "Skeanz" Marquet was eager to re-sign with the team.

Before selecting Jopa as their preferred option, SK Gaming tested several AD Carries from the ERLs, including Thomas "3XA" Foucou (Karmine Corp Blue) and Villas "Vizzpers" Burkal Stadager (CITA Kaizen). Former Mikyx teammate Patrik "Patrik" Jírů was also among the players considered. The organization even explored candidates from South Korea, but ultimately decided to prioritize Jopa, completing a fully European lineup.

While some fans have criticized SK for reuniting a group of veteran players, including some who have been inactive over the past year, adding one of the most promising AD Carries from the ERL scene could prove to be a smart move — injecting youthful motivation and competitive drive into an otherwise experienced roster.

For his part, Jopa finally makes it to the LEC after years of fighting for a spot in the major European league. Over the past two years, the Croatian player was among the best players in his position in the LFL in Vitality. Bee. In 2024, he notably had a very good season with the bees, finishing as a finalist in the EMEA Masters during the Summer split and winning the Coupe de France with his team at the end of the season.

But while his teammates Kaan "Naak Nako" Okan and Mateusz "Czajek" Czajka are offered a spot on the LEC roster, the AD Carry is still biding his time. Despite a difficult 2025 season in terms of collective results, Jopa continues to shine and stands out as the team's main satisfaction. He will therefore discover the LEC for the first time at SK Gaming.

With one of the lowest budgets in the league, the choice of a rookie seems consistent for SK Gaming to accompany the more experienced players on the roster. Now complete for 2025, the team will train from its headquarters in Cologne next year.