B1ad3 Explains Why NAVI Did Not Change Its Roster

Natus Vincere coach Andrey “B1ad3” Gorodenskiy said the organization considered changes to its Counter-Strike 2 roster during the off-season. According to him, the club was close to several transfers, but the negotiations ultimately did not lead to any deals.

After NAVI’s elimination from the IEM Cologne Major, the coach said that the team needed to become stronger in the new season, without ruling out roster changes. In an interview at Esports World Cup 2026, B1ad3 confirmed that the team had indeed explored available options and spoken with agents of potential new players.

“We were close to some changes, but in the end we realized it was not going to happen. There was competition for those players, and we could not do anything.”

NAVI also came to the conclusion that keeping the current five-man lineup could give the team more advantages. The current roster has been playing together for more than a year, and B1ad3 considers the synergy and tactical foundation built during that time to be one of the team’s strengths. According to him, roster stability helped NAVI win two tournaments last season.

The coach also separately explained the decision to skip BLAST Bounty. He convinced the management to give the players a longer break and additional time to prepare. NAVI did not play official matches for almost two months, focusing on rest and a bootcamp in Barcelona.

Changes to the map pool also worked in the team’s favor. Overpass, which had previously been NAVI’s permanent ban, left the competitive pool, while Cache replaced it. B1ad3 noted that the team plans to use the new map to surprise opponents.

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NAVI won its first match after the long break at Esports World Cup 2026, defeating 3DMAX 13:9. According to the coach, the main goal at the start of the season is to keep developing the team without losing motivation or progress.