It’s been a difficult start to the year for
fans. Nevertheless, the organization announced on Friday, March 6, that it is reaffirming its trust in the roster, indicating that the organization
will retain all five of its current players, despite crashing out of the LEC Versus 2026 playoffs
without winning a single game and finishing in a shared last place in playoffs. The team had already narrowly avoided missing the event entirely, having been the only squad to qualify through tiebreaker scenarios alone and entering the playoffs with a negative win–loss record in the group stage.
In the team’s latest “Ask Me Anything,” Patrik "cArn" Sättermon, the organization’s Chief Gaming Officer, confirmed several upcoming changes to Fnatic’s philosophy in an effort to address concerns raised by fans. Among the teased adjustments, the former Swedish
Counter-Strike professional player revealed that the organization is in the process of
signing a third coach who should have a
“strong in-game voice,” though no names were mentioned as negotiations remain underway.
This change is intended to directly address
concerns raised in a recent interview with head coach Fabian "GrabbZ" Lohmann, in which he expressed frustration over the limited size of the organization’s coaching staff.
“With a relatively rookie-oriented lineup, there’s so much more we can do. Do we want to be lifting trophies again? Absolutely. Do we think that’s possible with the current team? Yes, we do. It will take time, but it’s a journey we have to go on.” — cArn
He also noted that Fnatic is exploring
the creation of a new academy division, though he did not mention which ERL the team could play in. The organization has previously fielded academy rosters, including Fnatic TQ in the LVP Superliga and Fnatic Rising in the NLC. This announcement aligns with sentiments expressed by Grabbz last year, which, according to sources,
was one of the coach’s conditions for re-signing with the organization in 2026.
A vow to do better?
Having not won a title since the Summer Split of 2018, Fnatic today stands as a shadow of its former self—eight years removed from their last LEC victory, showing occasional flashes of potential but never fully conquering their struggles. In this context, fans have understandably grown frustrated over the years, something the organization is keenly aware of. In the AMA, the team’s staff were insistent on acknowledging this reality, though they have long been conscious of it. For what may be the first time in a while, however, the organization is actively taking steps to improve its situation.
Amid a major roster rebuild in 2026, Fnatic continues to stress patience—particularly with the arrival of two untested players and a new midlaner following the departure of long-standing star
last summer.
“What we really wanted to build and develop toward after November 2025 was a more cohesive group—one where wins or losses don’t define the team’s identity or change how we communicate and address challenges,” clarified cArn. Recently, the team’s 2026 midlaner,
, faced criticism following a difficult start to the season, frequently struggling to hold his own in lane against the rest of the LEC competition.
As is often the case in business, these changes may take time to bear fruit. While the team has resumed practice ahead of the Spring Split, the arrival of a new coach could still take a while, as the organization remains in active negotiations and has not announced any appointments yet. Similarly, restarting efforts in the ERLs with a new academy team is promising, but building a roster from scratch—and securing a league spot—could also take time, unless Fnatic chooses to acquire an existing ERL participant.
“We’re definitely in a development phase right now, and perhaps Fnatic—and myself—could have been a bit clearer in articulating our expectations and goals going into this season […] I think we should have an academy, especially given how strong we are at recruiting, and we definitely need to improve our performance infrastructure on the ground.” — cArn
