Sources: Cloud9 parts ways with APA and Zven

Midlaner and AD Carry are set to leave , according to sources close to Sheep Esports. APA and Zven have been part of the American organization since November 2025 and November 2024, respectively. Both players have already started exploring their options with other teams.

The duo was part of Cloud9’s regular season success in the LCS 2026 Lock-In and Spring Split. However, the team couldn’t qualify for First Stand and MSI, which led to APA and Zven being sidelined for returning midlaner and AD Carry .

Although Cloud9 were sometimes considered to have a seven-man roster, APA and Zven have not been starters this split. When the roster change was made in summer, both players had already been given permission to leave the organization if they received an offer from another team. Now, however, their time with Cloud9 will reportedly come to an end.

Heading into the LCS 2026 season, Cloud9 replacing Loki with APA proved fruitful initially, as the team seemed to have a clear understanding of the map and made smart macro decisions. However, the team consistently fell short in big playoff matches against teams like and . The team lost the qualifying matches for both First Stand and MSI in underwhelming fashion. This resulted in a seven-man roster where Loki and Tactical were brought in to add a new dynamic to their game.

With these changes, Cloud9 had a topsy-turvy Summer Split regular season. The consensus on the roster swaps was that the Cloud9 lineup with APA and Zven was more controlled and had better macro, but was outmatched mechanically by the one with Loki and Tactical. APA and Zven didn’t start at any point during the Summer Split and playoffs, where Cloud9 were able to defeat LYON and qualify for Worlds.

With this regional success, Loki and Tactical established their spots on the main roster. Despite this, Cloud9 had a disastrous Worlds 2026 campaign, losing to and to become the first team eliminated. With a quick conclusion to their season, APA and Zven are expected to explore their options as they look to return to the international stage.

While Zven and APA are still far from finding a new home for 2027, several teams are expected to have room for new players in both the Midlane and AD Carry positions. FlyQuest, LYON and Shopify Rebellion all have their midlaners’ and AD carries’ contracts expiring on November 16, 2026.

While other teams could also make changes in either position, Zven and APA could also look abroad for opportunities. Notably, APA has started exploring options in Europe following Cloud9’s decision, just as he did last year. Both players were originally signed with Cloud9 until 2028, but their contracts will be terminated.