fnatic sign mazay, bench Br4tkO in Ukrainian rebuild
fnatic have signed 17-year-old rifler mazay from Spirit Academy and benched Br4tkO, completing an all-Ukrainian roster led by IGL fEAR.
On July 9, 2026 fnatic officially signed 17-year-old Ukrainian rifler Volodymyr "mazay" Iorhachov from Spirit Academy. The spot opened up when Viktor "Br4tkO" Kondratets was moved to the bench. After the transfer fnatic field an all-Ukrainian roster led by in-game leader "fEAR".
What happened
mazay moves up from Spirit Academy, Team Spirit's academy team, where he built his experience. HLTV frames it as a full transfer, not a loan or stand-in deal. Br4tkO, who joined fnatic from Lazer Cats in March 2026, drops to the bench — out of the active five but still under contract with the club.
mazay commented on the move: "First of all, I want to say big thanks to Spirit Academy for giving me so much knowledge about this game. I'm looking forward to using it in practice. It's a great opportunity for me, and I want to put 100% of myself to make this team succeed."
fnatic roster after the transfer (as of July 9, 2026)
| Player | Name | Country | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| fEAR | Rodion Smyk | Ukraine | IGL |
| cairne | Artem Mushynskyi | Ukraine | rifler |
| jambo | Dmytro Semera | Ukraine | rifler |
| jackasmo | Nikita Skyba | Ukraine | rifler |
| mazay | Volodymyr Iorhachov | Ukraine | rifler |
The coach is Miks "Independent" Siliņš (Latvia). Br4tkO stays on the bench. All five starters are Ukrainian, making fnatic a rare fully mono-national roster among top organizations.
Why fnatic did this
2026 has been rough for fnatic: the team slid down the rankings through the season and failed to qualify for the IEM Cologne Major 2026. Earlier the club parted ways with a legend — Sweden's KRIMZ, after a decade with the org. Since then fnatic have been rebuilding around a young Ukrainian core under fEAR. A week earlier, in early July, cairne joined — making mazay the second Ukrainian signing in a row.
Betting on a 17-year-old academy talent fits the plan: a hungry prospect for a project built for the future rather than instant results.
What's next
The first matches will show whether the revamped lineup can climb back toward the top. A neat detail of the day: Team Liquid also bet on a 17-year-old the same day — AWPer Jorko. Follow the scene's transfers in the esport section.
Frequently asked questions
Who did fnatic sign?
17-year-old Ukrainian rifler Volodymyr "mazay" Iorhachov from Spirit Academy. The transfer was announced on July 9, 2026.
Who was benched?
Viktor "Br4tkO" Kondratets — he made room for mazay in the starting five but remains under contract with the club.
What is the fnatic roster?
fEAR (IGL), cairne, jambo, jackasmo and mazay — an all-Ukrainian five, coached by Independent. Br4tkO is on the bench.
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