Natus Vincere to replace Rogue in the upcoming LEC Summer Split

The LEC Spring Playoffs are about to start, yet there is major news that might shake up the league for Summer: Natus Vincere is set to acquire the LEC slot from Rogue and make their way into the LoL scene.

Natus Vincere will be replacing Rogue in Summer Split

According to a report by Sheep Esports, the Ukrainian organization will be buying out the LEC slot. Details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Natus Vincere, more commonly known as NAVI, was previously reported to be in talks with ReKTGlobal, Rogue’s parent company, last month. The official announcement is expected to be made after the end of the current LEC Spring Split, according to Sheep. It’s still unclear what will happen to the team’s players and staff following the acquisition.

The acquisition story is coming to an end

Rogue was considering selling the LEC slot back in November 2023 when Saudi Arabian team Team Falcons first tried to make its way into the European League. The acquisition, however, was denied by Riot Games. Another acquisition attempt was made by Nigma towards the end of 2024, but the two companies failed to reach an agreement. This time around, however, it looks like the transaction went through and we will see a new organization in the LEC.

Rogue’s downfall in the LEC

Despite being one of the most competitive teams from 2020 to 2022, including a top-eight finish at Worlds 2022, Rogue failed to create a strong brand name in the league. Paired with previous reported financial struggles by the technology firm behind both Rogue and ReKTGlobal, Infinite Reality, the failed partnership with Ibai’s KOI, and the lack of competitive results in the following years, Rogue has lost a lot of its value.

The team assembled its latest 2025 roster at the very end of the transfer window after it tried to find a buyer at the end of the 2024 season. While it put together a lineup of veterans, including Kim “Malrang” Geun-seong and Emil “Larssen” Larsson, and Adam “Adam” Maanane, the team finished both Winter and Spring splits in last place.

The team even had a small hiccup towards the end of the last regular split, with support Execute receiving a one-series suspension following controversial behavior in solo queue. The last series against KOI saw jungler Malrang move to support, and coach Kim “Trick” Gang-yun step in to fill the lineup.

How will NAVI perform in the LEC?

While there is no clear indication on what Natus Vincere will do following the acquisition, the expectations are not going to be low for one of the big powerhouses in the European scene. Founded in 2009 with a big focus on the Counter-Strike scene, NAVI has established itself as a top team in the FPS game title throughout the last decade, and was home to one of the great CS legends, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev.

NAVI had a small stint in League of Legends, having taken part in the LCL, the former Russian regional league. The organization put together a team to compete in the Open Qualifier of the EU Challenger Series Spring Split, but ultimately failed to qualify and dissolved its League of Legends division in the following year. This time around, however, it looks like Natus Vincere will finally enter the premier European league later this summer.