VALORANT: BBL Esports completed VCT EMEA 2026 roster

Despite a year when qualification for the VALORANT Champions Paris 2025 came down to a single series, BBL Esports made a major move during the offseason by overhauling its entire VCT project. According to a report from Sheep Esports, the organization is set to play with the five Turkish players from PCIFIC Esports, despite their own successful run through the EMEA Ascension circuit.

It has been a particularly unusual offseason for both Turkish clubs, as the move sparked controversy within the community. BBL and PCIFIC had been official partners for the 2025 Challengers Türkiye season under the joint banner BBL PCIFIC. For 2026, the five players will therefore continue together, despite some of them, particularly Yusuf "Lar0k" Kanber and Utku "Loita" Kart, drawing strong interest from other European teams. According to Sheep Esports sources, several major VCT EMEA organizations showed interest but ultimately failed to sway their decision.

The partnership functioned mostly as a naming and structural collaboration rather than a full merger, yet it proved beneficial for PCIFIC. The smaller club gained access to a professional coaching staff late in 2024, alongside the signing of Ali "Crewen" Sargin. Crewen joined a promising four-man roster that had already built strong synergy over the previous season and was steadily improving.

Led by Turkish captain Eren "Rosé" Erzan, the team first made a name for itself through VALORANT’s built-in competitive mode, Premier. Their success there earned them promotion into the national league after winning the qualification tournament. The momentum continued, as they topped the Split standings and qualified for the 2024 Ascension tournament, eventually reaching the grand final before falling to Apeks.

That impressive run caught BBL’s attention and eventually led to an official partnership in 2025. The collaboration paid off quickly. The Turkish squad opened the year by winning the Kickoff event, then went on to capture the first Challengers EMEA title. Returning to domestic competition, they maintained their dominant form, finishing first again in Split 2 and nearly repeating their continental success, falling just short in the Challengers EMEA Stage 2 grand final. Despite roster changes, most notably the departure of Berkcan "ComeBack" Şentürk to Gentle Mates in VCT EMEA, the team secured yet another Turkish championship title.

The arrival of Umut "umu7" Pekdoğan, who joined as a free agent, brought fresh energy, though the team experienced its only real low point of the season with a Top 5-8 finish at the final EMEA Challengers event of 2025. With a strong accumulation of circuit points, BBL PCIFIC entered Ascension, in Berlin with high expectations. After topping their group by defeating FOKUS and Twisted Minds, the Turkish side faced DNSTY in a decisive series. Though the Italian organization took the first map, the Turks quickly rallied to close the series 3-1 and punch their ticket to the VCT EMEA.

Already guaranteed a spot in Berlin at the highest level of VALORANT esports, the roster will nevertheless compete under BBL’s banner rather than PCIFIC’s in 2026, with the clear goal of surpassing last year’s performance. Fielding a slightly more European-oriented lineup, less centered exclusively on the Turkish scene, BBL achieved its best results to date: a Top 4 finish in Stage 1 and a first-place finish in the qualifying event for the Esports World Cup. The prestigious international tournament marked a milestone for the organization, as they reached the Top 5-8 and advanced from the groups after victories over Sentinels and DRX. Returning to Berlin, BBL came within one series of qualifying for Champions Paris, but fell 0-3 to GIANTX in the final decisive match for EMEA’s last slot.