For the VCT 2026 season, Ayaz ‘nAts’ Akhmetshin and Kamil ‘kamo’ Frąckowiak are the one remaining members from Staff Liquid’s 2025 line-up.
In an unique interview with Esports Insider, the in-game chief (IGL) defined why he stays assured regardless of Staff Liquid’s huge roster adjustments.
“I don’t assume it’s about which roster is best. I feel it’s about by way of the individuals round and the work atmosphere, I feel it’s superb proper now,” nAts advised Esports Insider.
All through a number of roster rebuilds and function adjustments, the Russian VALORANT icon has established himself because the face of one in all EMEA’s top-performing groups, proving his consistency and management capabilities 12 months after 12 months.
Hailing from the Counter-Strike aggressive scene, nAts lifted VALORANT Masters Berlin 2021 trophy and later grew to become the inaugural VALORANT Champions runner-up.
Furthermore, since becoming a member of Staff Liquid in late 2022, he has secured two regional titles and led his group to 5 international occasions and lately kicked off his fourth aggressive season beneath its banner.
Wayne Replaces Keiko
Regardless of mid-season roster adjustments, Staff Liquid remained throughout the top-three EMEA groups final 12 months, qualifying for all three international competitions.
One of many roster’s strongest parts was Georgio ‘keiko’ Sanassy, who joined Staff Liquid in 2024 as a main duelist participant. Final 12 months, the British participant transitioned into the smoker/secondary duelist function, the place he made waves along with his clever utility utilization and excessive fragging potential.
Throughout the latest low season; nevertheless, keiko left Staff Liquid to step into the sneakers of retired Champions 2025 winner Sam ‘s0m’ Oh on NRG. Staff Liquid selected Wayne ‘wayne’ Chang as keiko’s substitute, who has now change into the primary Pacific participant for Staff Liquid to compete in VCT EMEA.
“I imply it wasn’t me, teaching employees sniped him,” shared nAts with Esports Insider. “I imply we did watch a few of his VODs and I feel, general, he’s doing superb in his function and he’s a really gifted participant from a unique area. That’s why once we received the chance, we determined to go for that chance.”
Extra Roster & Position Modifications
Staff Liquid’s roster rebuild for VCT 2026 goes method past changing keiko. EMEA veteran Semyon ‘purp0’ Borchev and former Staff Heretics duelist Dominykas ‘MiniBoo’ Lukaševičius have been introduced in to exchange Patryk ‘paTiTek’ Fabrowski and Nikita ‘trexx’ Cherednichenko.
These new variables seemingly led to function adjustments for kamo, who had beforehand crammed the primary duelist function throughout the line-up. For the 2026 season, although, kamo has shifted to the recon initiator place, leaving the duelist duties to purp0 and MiniBoo.
“I feel it’s a little bit bit, I wouldn’t say related, one thing the identical as we did with keiko earlier than final 12 months,” commented nAts on the function adjustments.
“As a result of he was the primary duelist additionally in 2024. And final 12 months, we did utterly change the way in which he performed the sport and his function. Regardless that he was nonetheless enjoying the double duelist however the stuff was completely different. So I’d say the identical right here with a number of the gamers. We’re making an attempt completely different stuff primarily based on the power of the participant.”
A Troublesome First Match
As an EMEA consultant at Champions 2025, Staff Liquid entered VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026 in spherical two of the higher bracket. Nevertheless, the group’s opening collection on January twenty third was removed from straightforward.
With wayne going through Visa points and arriving in Berlin later than anticipated, Staff Liquid selected to play with Kimmie ‘Kicks’ Laasner as a stand-in. Based on nAts, the roster solely had a couple of weeks of observe with its short-term fifth member.
“It wasn’t one thing that we’d have favored to occur. We have been hoping that we’d have been in a position to play with the complete roster,” added the Russian participant.
Going up in opposition to EMEA’s new superteam, Staff Vitality, Staff Liquid misplaced the best-of-three collection by 1-2. Nonetheless, not all was gloom and doom as Staff Liquid gained its first-ever recreation on Pearl, utilising an unconventional Brimstone choose.
When requested what concept was behind selecting Brimstone over Astra, the most typical smoker on Pearl, nAts replied:
“We’re simply making an attempt one thing new. We’re simply looking for what suits our playstyle the very best. And the Brimstone for now’s probably the most snug, regardless that perhaps Astra is the very best controller on this map.”
The IGL additionally confirmed that wayne will most definitely take the stage along with his new group for Staff Liquid’s second match of the season.
Staff Liquid will meet Karmine Corp on January twenty seventh at 4 PM BST within the VCT EMEA Kickoff center bracket. The match will probably be broadcast on the league’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.
