Sources: Poby set to join Natus Vincere

Natus Vincere has reportedly finalized its League of Legends roster for the 2026 LEC season with the addition of Yoon “Poby” Sung-won as its new midlaner, according to sources close to Sheep Esports. The South Korean prodigy joins from Fnatic, where he made his debut split in the LEC during the Summer of 2025.

NAVI had held discussions with Vladimiros “Vladi” Kourtidis, but was unable to present a project and offer compelling enough to bring the player into their lineup. While Vladi chose Fnatic as his destination, his movement there still needs to be confirmed due to the buyout set by Karmine Corp. After Vladi, the organization also considered Midlaner Marek "Humanoid" Brázda, who went to Team Vitality instead — per sources, the Hive also considered Poby. They chose Humanoid, who didn’t have a buyout, while Poby had. In the end, the Ukrainian organization’s final decision came down to a choice between Poby and Mateusz "Czajek" Czajka.

Born in 2006, Poby began his career within T1’s Academy system, where he spent several seasons developing under the shadow of Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok. In the Summer of 2023, he stepped onto the LCK stage to temporarily replace the three-time world champion during his wrist injury recovery. Though his short stint yielded only one series win across eight best-of-threes, it provided the young player with invaluable experience against Korea’s elite midlaners such as Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon, Heo "ShowMaker" Su, and Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo.

Following subsequent seasons in the LCK Challenger League, Poby’s growth gained him international attention, leading to his arrival in the LEC with Fnatic in 2025. The young midlaner replaced long-time veteran Marek “Humanoid” Brázda midway through the year. Although Fnatic struggled that split, Poby’s mechanical skill and wide champion pool allowed them to qualify for Worlds and deny Karmine Corp in the most important moment.

Natus Vincere is one of the first LEC teams to finalize its 2026 roster fully. With the signing of support Polat "Parus" Çiçek and toplaner Volodymyr "Maynter" Sorokin earlier this month, only the midlane spot remained uncertain—until Poby’s name surfaced. The Ukrainian organization had reportedly been in talks with Vladimiros “Vladi” Kourtidis, who was exploring options after being released by Karmine Corp, but appears to have moved forward by securing the South Korean talent instead.

The newly assembled NAVI roster features several of the most promising players from the French LFL scene. Toplaner Volodymyr “Maynter” Sorokin joins from Karmine Corp Blue, jungle prospect Enes “Rhilech” Uçan arrives from BK ROG Esports, and botlaner Lee “Hans SamD” Jae-hoon comes in from Ici Japon Corp, where he made a strong impression during a year and a half before joining NAVI in Summer 2025 already. Parus, who played with BDS Academy in 2024, will complete the botlane. The roster will be overseen by head coach Vasilis “TheRock” Voltis, also coming from Karmine Corp Blue, and marking a complete departure from Rogue’s former staff.

This lineup underscores both the LFL’s influence as a talent factory and NAVI’s long-term ambition to create a foundation of its own within the LEC. Rather than inheriting Rogue’s legacy, the organization has opted for a blank-slate project, powered by regional prospects and an international rookie, aiming to turn potential into performance as it enters its first full competitive year in Europe.

Header Photo Credit: Christina Oh/Riot Games