Team Liquid locks in 2026 VCT roster with three new additions

Team Liquid has officially locked in its VALORANT roster for the 2026 VCT season, retaining two of their EMEA championship team, while adding three new faces built around youth, flexibility, and work ethic.

Team Liquid’s confirmed starting five features:

• Ayaz "nAts" Akhmetshin
• Kamil "kamo" Frąckowiak
• Dominykas "MiniBoo" Lukasevicius
• Seymon "purp0" Borchev
• Wayne "wayne" Chang
• Ivo "Lohan" Alibno continues as head coach.

The roster keeps the backbone of nAts and kamo from the previous iteration while integrating MiniBoo, purp0, and wayne as the new additions highlighted in the team’s announcement on social media.

Philosophy behind the rebuild

LohaN explained that the staff deliberately shifted the roster’s profile toward players who are passionate, grinding the game constantly, young, coachable, and open‑minded, aiming to raise internal standards and autonomy compared to 2025. He emphasized wanting a squad that can think for itself in the server, find solutions under pressure, and not rely solely on the strategic input of the coaching staff when faced with unfamiliar situations.

Meet the new additions

wayne

Wayne joins from APAC as Liquid’s import, bringing a fresh regional perspective and high mechanical ceiling after standout performances in Southeast Asia Challengers and Ascension. LohaN and assistant coach Daniel "yaotziN" Roczniak praised his potential and adaptability, noting that he is still adjusting to the chaos of EMEA ranked but offers the kind of versatility Liquid can experiment with in official play.

MiniBoo

MiniBoo arrives after several years with Team Heretics, where he built a reputation as a flexible, high-potential player capable of taking on multiple roles. Both the coaching staff and nAts highlighted how his experience, professionalism, and in‑server ideas have already started to influence Liquid’s structure during early bootcamps in the Netherlands.

purp0

Purp0 brings two years of top‑level experience from GIANTX, coming from a strict, system‑heavy environment that Liquid believes will mesh well with its new emphasis on discipline and self‑sufficiency. Nats and LohaN described him as a hard‑working, vocal presence with a surprisingly disciplined approach to performance and lifestyle, adding both structure and personality to the lineup.

Looking ahead, Liquid’s priorities are clear: qualify for every international event, convert those appearances into deep bracket runs, and defend their EMEA title in 2026. With a refreshed roster and a year of hard lessons behind them, the team enters the new season targeting sustained international relevance rather than just regional success.

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Featured Image Source: Team Liquid/@LiquidValorant on X