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Team Vitality kicks off the new season with renewed energy and strong ambitions, both on the European and international stage.
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With the addition of renowned players like Chronicle and an experienced coaching staff, the club is fielding an exceptional team.
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The young prodigy Ștefan "Sayonara" Mîtcu will officially join the team after March 2026.
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All the stars are aligned to kick off this new year in VALORANT, starting with Project Blender 2025 on December 3rd.
Team Vitality, an international esports club, is proud to present its new VALORANT roster for the 2026 season. While 2025 had started strongly with the VCT EMEA Kickoff title and a Top 4 finish at Masters Bangkok, the remainder of the journey did not meet the expected goals.
In 2026, VALORANT remains a priority for the club, with international events taking place across the globe. The integration of new talent also marks the beginning of a new chapter, highlighted by the highly anticipated addition of young prodigy Ștefan "Sayonara" Mîtcu and Timofey "Chronicle" Khromov, one of the world’s top players, to the roster.
A STAR-STUDDED ROSTER READY TO DOMINATE
The VALORANT scene is ready, and Team Vitality returns more determined than ever. Centred around Derke, this team of exceptional talents promises to be a true powerhouse for the 2026 VCT season.
Roster composition
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Timofey "Chronicle" Khromov (Russian) - 23 years old: One of the leading figures on the circuit, Chronicle brings to Team Vitality his game intelligence, composure, and experience in major victories. He reunites with his former teammate Derke. After a 2025 marked by three consecutive international finals – Masters Toronto, Esports World Cup, and Champions Paris – finishing second in all three, he now aims for victory on every stage in 2026.
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Elias "Jamppi" Olkkonen (Finnish) - 24 years old: The second Finnish star of the 2026 roster alongside Derke, Jamppi comes off an impressive 2025, narrowly missing qualification for Champions Paris. A key player in BBL Esports’ rise, he demonstrated both leadership and skill throughout the season. In 2026, Jamppi will take on the crucial role of In-Game Leader (IGL), tasked with guiding Team Vitality to victory.
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Dawid "PROFEK" Święć (Polish) - 21 years old: Alongside his former coach and teammate, PROFEK joins The Hive bringing his sharp game sense and calm, thoughtful playstyle—perfect for the role of Controller. Noticed as a rookie in 2025, he helped elevate BBL Esports from 6th to 3rd place between the Kickoff and Stage 2, delivering decisive performances against Fnatic and Team Heretics.
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Ștefan "Sayonara" Mîtcu (Moldovan) - 17 years old: Sayonara has already made his mark in the Spanish Challengers League, becoming the youngest winner and MVP in the league’s history. His outstanding performances in Split 2 confirm his status as a must-watch young talent for 2026. Having already been a part of the organisation since early 2025, Sayonara has made a statement in the French Challengers League. He will make his official VCT EMEA debut after celebrating his 18th birthday in March.
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Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev (Finnish-Russian) - 22 years old: A former Counter-Strike player turned VALORANT competitor, Derke is considered one of the top three duelists of all time, renowned for his exceptional skills and decisive impact in matches. After winning the VCT: 2023 LOCK//IN and the VCT Masters Tokyo in the same year—a feat never achieved before—Derke has been contributing his strategic vision and talent to the team since last season, leveraging his extensive international experience. Derke was also instrumental in Team Vitality’s VALORANT EMEA KICKOFF 2025 victory earlier this year.
Coaching staff
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Gregor "PAL" Morton (Scottish) – Head Coach: PAL joins after an impressive year leading BBL Esports, guiding the team to a Top 3 finish at VCT EMEA Stage 2. Renowned for his strategic vision and leadership, he arrives at Team Vitality alongside his two trusted allies, Jamppi and PROFEK, determined to unlock the full potential of the 2026 roster.
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Benjamin "Scuttt" Hutchinson (Irish) – Strategic Coach: A former member of the Fnatic VALORANT team, he brings solid experience and an impressive track record. In 2025, he contributed to Fnatic’s VCT EMEA Stage 1 title as well as three consecutive international finals—Masters Toronto, Esports World Cup, and Champions Paris—finishing in second place each time. A former collaborator of PAL at BBL Esports, they now reunite to form a formidable coaching duo.
This talented duo will bring a fresh strategic vision aimed at strengthening the team’s competitiveness and laying the foundation for a new chapter in VALORANT.
A familiar and experienced face will be stepping in to support Team Vitality through the opening stretch of the season, until Sayonara officially joins the team in March 2026. Fans can expect someone who already knows the scene well and will slot in seamlessly when the first matches begin.
”This team is built with a vision of collaboration between subject-matter experts in mind. Everyone is here to make everyone else's lives easier, and it is the pre-existing trusting relationships we have that will let us build and build throughout the year, focusing on the everyday actions that compound over time and give us the best chances of success. We are here to achieve things that we are proud of, but ultimately, with the people we have involved, our goals for the team are as high as the standards we set for ourselves.” explains Gregor "PAL" Morton, Head Coach of the team.
ON THE ROAD TO 2026
In 2026, Team Vitality approaches the VALORANT scene with a clear ambition: to establish itself permanently at the top of the global esports landscape. The new roster embodies a renewed approach, placing team culture at the heart of the project. Guided by their coaching staff and a shared set of values: trust, high standards, and cohesion, the players are building a strong collective dynamic designed to last.
This stability is paired with a strong commitment to the development of Sayonara, a young prodigy on the scene, whom the organisation aims to support under the best conditions to unlock his full potential. Focused on performance development, Team Vitality has chosen an approach rooted in club culture, team cohesion, and long-term vision, with a single ambition in sight: to conquer the heights of the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) and the VALORANT Champions.
"VALORANT is an essential scene for us. For 2026, we wanted to build a roster combining proven leaders and promising young talent, capable of performing at the highest level, and that's exactly what we've achieved. All the stars are now aligned for us to perform. We also rely on an experienced coaching staff, among the best in the scene, with a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the challenges of performance: a solid theoretical approach inherited from their academic backgrounds, combined with practical experience demonstrated by the results achieved in recent years. All of this is perfectly consistent with Team Vitality's DNA," says Fabien ’Neo" Devide, President and co-founder of Team Vitality.
The new-look roster will compete together for the first time on December 3rd, for the 2025 Project Blender - kicking off a new season with renewed energy and strong ambitions.