According to Sheep Esports sources,
FOG Esports, a team competing in the
Arabian League and
recent participants in the 2025 Spring EMEA Masters, has failed to pay its
League of Legends players and coaching staff at all since the start of their contracts in April 2025. Despite written promises made to secure their participation at EMEA Masters, the organization has yet to deliver even partial payment.
The roster had initially considered forfeiting the recent EMEA Masters unless compensation was received. Ultimately, they decided to compete after FOG committed in writing to paying at least one month of salary by June 15. That deadline has now passed, and no payment has been made.
Two Months of Delays, Zero Payment
According to head coach Gerard “Jayrad” Blasi, who talked with Sheep Esports, the situation had already been escalated to Riot MENA and the league's tournament organizer Vanguard, before EMEA Masters began.
The timeline of events, as outlined in those communications, is as follows:
- April–May: No salaries paid to players or staff.
- May 5: A player contacts management about April’s salary. The delay is blamed on a pending partnership.
- May 14: A message from FOG cites delayed financial transfers and administrative restructuring, with a promise that the situation would be resolved “within two weeks.”
- May 23: After participating in the Arabian League finals, the team issues a formal demand to FOG: pay at least one month’s salary by May 28 or face an escalation to Riot and the risk of forfeiting EMEA Masters.
- May 30: With no resolution in sight, Riot is contacted. FOG offers further verbal assurances.
- June 15: The written deadline promised by FOG passes without payment.
Unlike the players, Jayrad did not take part in EMEA Masters, citing the lack of tangible action from the organization.
Riot Responded, But FOG Hasn’t
FOG’s written commitment to paying by June 15 was what convinced the team to compete at EMEA Masters. However, as of June 18, no player or staff member has received any salary. Even the payment that was promised only covered one of the two owed months, with no confirmed timeline for the rest.
Communication from the organization has reportedly been inconsistent, often consisting of copy-pasted delay messages or lengthy explanations with no tangible outcome. Players say that when they raised concerns as a group, responses were delayed by several days.
Sources also allege that this is not an isolated case — members of FOG’s previous Winter Cup roster, and even staff members like their former manager, were also left unpaid.
Situation Unresolved
Despite repeated assurances, the organization’s decision to honor its competitive commitments, FOG Esports has still not paid its players or staff for April and May. As of now, no further updates have been communicated to the roster.
Payment issues and delays are, unfortunately, extremely common within the ERLs. Sheep Esports will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates should any new information emerge from the organization or the players.
UPDATE: Following this publication, multiple additional players from former iterations of FOG Esports rosters have shared with Sheep Esports that they also never received any payment.
UPDATE 2: Vanguard, the tournament organizers of the Arabian League, are attempting to resolve this issue on both sides and are the ones who have demanded a written agreement from FOG to pay the players by the 15th.
Header Photo Credit: FOG Esports
