Sources: cNed set to join PCIFIC Esports

According to sources close to Sheep Esports, and as previously reported by @RocketBullets, Mehmet "cNed" Yağız İpek has reached a verbal agreement with PCIFIC Esports for the upcoming 2026 VALORANT season. A prominent figure on the EMEA scene since the early days of the VCT, the Turkish player first rose to prominence with Acend, with whom he won the inaugural edition of VALORANT Champions in 2021, having already lifted an international trophy earlier that same year at Masters.

He later joined Natus Vincere at the end of 2022, before moving to FUT Esports ahead of the 2024 VCT season, where he competed in the EMEA circuit and notably achieved a 5th–6th place finish at Masters Shanghai, followed by a group-stage exit at Champions 2024 with the Turkish organisation.

The year 2025 marks a turning point in his trajectory. In January, cNed announced that he would be taking a break from competition while remaining under contract with FUT Esports as a content creator. In May he joined Valiant to make his competitive return during Stage 2 of Challengers EMEA, ultimately playing only two official matches under their banner before reappearing on the main stage.

Midway through 2025, he rejoined FUT’s starting five for VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 2, where he was used primarily on controller roles and as a secondary Duelist. FUT concluded the stage with a 2–3 record and narrowly missed out on playoffs, bringing an end to its first season without qualification to an international event since the start of the partnered-league era.

For PCIFIC Esports, the signing of cNed comes at the very moment the organization is preparing to make its debut in VCT EMEA. The Turkish team secured its spot through BBL PCIFIC’s victory at VCT 2025: EMEA Ascension, earning a temporary promotion into the international league from 2026 onwards. In this context, the arrival of a former world champion, already well acquainted with international stages, would provide PCIFIC with an immediately recognisable focal point around which to structure its starting five, and, with this final addition, would effectively close out PCIFIC Esports’ offseason.

Beyond the symbolic weight of his name, cNed is coming off a particularly unusual 2025, split between a competitive break, a brief stint in Challengers EMEA with Valiant, and a return to VCT EMEA in a more flexible role with FUT.

A move to PCIFIC for 2026 therefore represent the logical continuation of a player seeking to relaunch his career at the highest level after a transitional season, while offering the newly promoted organisation a profile that is both experienced and already familiar with the demands of the international circuit.

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