VCT 2027 offseason: MIBR bench aspas, zekken and co

The VCT 2027 offseason just got a lot busier. MIBR have moved aspas, zekken and the rest of their Valorant roster to inactive and opened talks for transfers, while Derke left Vitality and d4v41 is leaving Paper Rex.

Key facts

• Team: MIBR (VCT Americas partner for 2027)
• Moved to inactive: aspas, zekken, Verno and Mazino
• tex: announced his free agency in September
• Contracts: tex until the end of 2026, the rest until the end of 2027
• Other exits: Derke (Vitality), d4v41 (Paper Rex), ara (GIANTX)
• Season start: Kickoff São Paulo, January 14 to February 7

Why did MIBR bench their entire roster?

In its statement, MIBR said the call came after talks with the players' representatives. The club pointed to big changes in the competitive structure for 2027, including the regional transition and the challenges it brings. With that in mind, it decided to reassess the roster.

aspas, zekken, Verno and Mazino are now on the inactive list. They join tex, who announced last month that he was exploring his options. MIBR stressed that all existing contracts remain in effect. In other words, any team that wants one of these players has to negotiate directly with MIBR.

According to VLR.gg, MIBR could have carried this lineup into 2027 as a partner team and played in Brazil despite the two-import limit. Otherwise, teams in that region need at least three Brazilian players. Japanese outlet Valorant News Japan reported that the current mix of one Brazilian, one Chilean and three Americans would have placed MIBR in North America under the new format.

Why didn't the superteam work?

After a top-six finish at Champions 2025, MIBR rebuilt around aspas and Verno. They added zekken, Mazino and tex, reuniting the 2024 LEVIATÁN core. Expectations were sky-high from day one.

The 2026 season fell well short. MIBR lost three straight best-of-five qualifiers at Kickoff and missed Masters Santiago. They went out of Stage 1 in the top six, reached the top eight at the Esports World Cup, then finished top six again in Stage 2. That meant no trip to any of the three global VCT events.

It was a first for aspas, too. The Champions 2022 winner missed Champions for the first time in his career. Masters Madrid champion zekken shared the same fate. Both aspas and Mazino have reportedly already posted that they are looking for teams.

How did their rivals do this year?

Brazilian rivals LOUD won Champions Shanghai, and Argentina's Leviatán lifted the trophy at Masters London. MIBR are one of four South American partner organisations, alongside LOUD, KRÜ and Leviatán. The statement said nothing about staff, so head coach fRoD appears to be staying.

Who else is on the move in the VCT 2027 offseason?

MIBR were far from the only headline. Going by VLR.gg's news feed, October 25 was one of the busiest days of the offseason so far:

• Derke: left Team Vitality, where he had played since October 2024.
• d4v41: leaving Paper Rex after almost six years as his contract runs out.
• ara: GIANTX have let him explore options as his deal ends.
• yatsuka: parted ways with DFM and entered restricted free agency.
• primmie: set to explore options outside FULL SENSE.
• Coaches: G2 assistant coach shhhack and Nongshim RedForce coach yoman are also looking for new roles.

Derke's exit stands out. The duelist won LOCK//IN and Masters Tokyo with FNATIC, then had a strong 2026 with Vitality. The team signed Chronicle from FNATIC plus Jamppi and PROFEK from BBL Esports. Once Sayonara turned 18, things clicked. Vitality finished second in Stage 1 and fourth at Masters London. At Champions Shanghai, they lost only to eventual champions LOUD and took second place.

d4v41 leaving Paper Rex also feels like the end of an era. He moved from CS:GO to Valorant with f0rsakeN in 2021. With PRX, he won four Pacific titles, reached five international grand finals and lifted the Masters Toronto trophy. In 2026, the team finished second at both Masters Santiago and Masters London.

What does it mean for Turkish players and teams?

The offseason matters for the Turkish scene as well. Last week, Turkish star Mert "Wo0t" Alkan left Team Heretics after three years. At Masters Shanghai 2024, he topped the event with 427 kills. Vitality's Jamppi and PROFEK also came from Turkish club BBL Esports.

BBL and FUT will compete as partner teams in 2027, as we covered in our VCT 2027 partner teams story. With this many big names on the market, every partner team has a real chance to strengthen. No official signings involving these players have been announced yet.

For a look back at how aspas first reached the top, see our VCT Champions history guide.

When does the 2027 season start?

Under the new format, partner teams only get direct entry into Kickoff. The best teams move up, while the rest drop into the Open Playoffs. In the Americas, Kickoff São Paulo runs from January 14 to February 7. That gives clubs roughly two and a half months to build their new lineups.

FAQ

Have MIBR released aspas?

No. aspas has been moved to the inactive roster and is available for transfer. His contract runs until the end of 2027, so any deal must be negotiated with MIBR.

Which team did Derke leave?

Derke left Team Vitality, where he had played since October 2024. His next team has not been announced.

When does the VCT 2027 season start?

In the Americas, the season opens with Kickoff São Paulo, which runs from January 14 to February 7.

Sources

• VLR.gg: MIBR shifts full roster to inactive status
• VLR.gg: Team Vitality bids farewell to Derke
• VLR.gg: d4v41 announces LFT status after six years with Paper Rex
• VLR.gg: ara set to leave GIANTX
• VLR.gg: Wo0t leaves Team Heretics
• Redington Cybersport: MIBR benches entire VALORANT roster