Natus Vincere (NAVI) Joins The LEC After Acquiring Rogue's Slot

Summary:

Natus Vincere (NAVI) has created a legacy across many titles since being established in 2009, but has had very little success in League of Legends.

Rogue’s recent years have been a complete disaster, and as such have now exited the league altogether.

Rogue’s exit from the LEC has been elongated and complicated, with several organizations potentially acquiring before NAVI secured the slot.

For the Summer Split, NAVI has decided to keep the current Rogue roster intact.

Natus Vincere, or NAVI for short, has just announced they’re returning by getting one of the spots that Rogue owned in the LEC! Rogue’s recent performances opened the door for a spot, and NAVI jumped in. For fans who follow the scene, it feels like returning to the past to meet the future. This is all because NAVI makes their return to the European stage for the first time in several years.

About Natus Vincere (NAVI)

Natus Vincere, or NAVI for short, is a Ukrainian esports organization that officially started on December 17, 2009. Natus Vincere roughly translates to “born to win” from Latin, which captures the spirit and aspiration of the team.

From there, we saw NAVI grow into one of the most winning and recognizable esports organizations in the world, competing in many games such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, FIFA, PUBG, and Valorant. They also had some rough patches with League of Legends in the earlier years. However, NAVI continued to build a name for themselves as a powerhouse in esports, and this comes from their high success rate in tournaments and long-lasting relationship with top talent.

Rogue’s Departure from the LEC

Rogue joined the LEC six years ago, and they have had a lot of success. That includes winning the LEC Summer Playoffs in 2022 and qualifying for three consecutive World Championships from 2020 to 2022. They were known for developing young talent, too. Over the last couple of years, though, the team’s fortunes totally plummeted.

Rogue had a rough time in 2023 after a failed merger with KOI. The organization had a rough go in 2024, not making the playoffs in any of the splits, and ended up last in the Winter Split and Spring Split in 2025. The problems for Rogue kept piling up, as well as the events described above. After their struggle to find a consistent roster and the mix-up with the coaching staff, many left the organization altogether. Rogue found themselves as an organization pursuing an exit from the league.

From Rogue to NAVI

While there has been a heavy amount of anticipation for NAVI to return to professional League of Legends, this announcement should come as no surprise. NAVI has been considering re-entering League of Legends for a number of years. Alongside that, several other organizations previously tried to acquire Rogue’s slot as well. Rogue had been trying to sell their LEC spot for multiple years due to their lack of competitive success. The reason also includes the financial woes of their parent company, ReKTGlobal, and their technology sub-company, Infinite Reality.

Rogue’s exit was long and complicated. In fact, Rogue began selling their spot in the LEC as far back as late 2023. Team Falcons, and later on, Nigma Galaxy, attempted to get the LEC slot from Rogue. However, they eventually bowed out after Riot decided to intervene. It wasn’t until spring 2025 that the well-known Ukrainian esports organization Natus Vincere (NAVI) finally acquired Rogue’s slot after going through several negotiations for the 2025 Summer Split.

When NAVI made a move for Rogue, they ended up with some of Rogue’s players and League of Legends infrastructure. Though it is an organization that is measuring roster change, especially in bot lane, it seems unlikely that NAVI will not embrace some of Rogue’s roster options or add some of its players. In addition, their partnership also includes a long-term sponsorship with Napster, the music service owned by Rogue’s parent company.

NAVI’s Plans and Vision for the LEC

NAVI has been a global esports powerhouse since 2009 and has created a strong international reputation across many esports titles. But they felt League of Legends was the missing element in their competitive portfolio. NAVI’s leadership is enthusiastic and committed to bringing the same level of passion, competitiveness, and excellence to the LEC that has been a part of their legacy. NAVI’s CEO, Yevhen Zolotarov, stated that the organization wants to enhance its overall global presence in the League of Legends scene and represent the LEC on a global stage.

To make this happen, NAVI is currently assessing and will make roster adjustments as they build their Summer Split roster. NAVI kept the current Rogue roster for now. However, NAVI management admits that after Rogue’s recent struggles in the league, they need improvement. The organization is looking at some purposeful reinforcements right away. And, they’re anticipating opportunities for other roster options in the off-season to build stronger options for competitive integrity in 2026.

Conclusion

With Rogue out and NAVI in, the LEC will undoubtedly be different going forward. NAVI isn’t just returning to the LEC, because they’re coming back and doing it legendary style. This iconic esports organization is prepared to make an impact, disrupt the LEC, and prove again why they are respected esports titans. With a fresh roster, big aspirations, and a ton of fans behind them, NAVI should be a fun squad to watch over the next few years in the LEC.

Stalingrad Dollosa

Stalingrad Dollosa is an award-winning esports journalist with over 5 years of experience covering the global competitive scene. Specializing in titles like Dota 2, CS2, and Mobile Legends, he combines deep game knowledge with a talent for storytelling and analysis. His work has earned industry recognition for its clarity, accuracy, and engaging style. Known for breaking key stories and delivering sharp tournament coverage, Stalingrad brings a professional, data-driven edge to every article. At Fragster, he continues to set the standard in esports reporting, offering fans expert insights and high-quality content that captures the pulse of the game.