The reasoning behind these moves appears to be tied to a clause in KOI’s contracts, giving the organization a 15-day window after the final match of the season to decide whether to retain players. KOI opted not to trigger this option before its August 26 expiration for nataNk, simoz, and baddyG, while simply granting flyuh and Filu permission to evaluate their opportunities elsewhere. The club has made this decision due to the tight deadline. Similarly, the new head coach will assess the future of these players in the coming days. Meanwhile, Ondřej "MONSTEERR" Petrů will remain with the squad, as his contract did not include the same clause.
These decisions come only two weeks after KOI’s elimination from Stage 2 of the VCT EMEA and their failure to qualify for Champions in Paris. Club co-owner Ibai Llanos had already hinted on Twitch that
2026 would mark a decisive year for the project, stating:
“2026 is going to be the first year in the history of KOI VALORANT that we are going to do the roster we want. If 2026 is a failure, it’s our fault.”For KOI’s
VALORANT roster, the 2025 season was anything but straightforward, continuing a trend of struggles dating back to 2024. After finishing 9th–12th at the Kickoff event with two straight defeats, the team placed 9th–10th in both Stage 1 and Stage 2, closing the year with just two wins across 14 matches. Ultimately, KOI ends 2025 with only two points in the VCT EMEA Championship Points Standings, underlining the scale of the challenge that lies ahead before the much-anticipated 2026 campaign.
