The LEC’s top teams, Fnatic and G2 Esports, failed to make it to this year’s League of Legends World Championship finals, crashing out of the tournament in dramatic fashion and leaving European fans with a sour taste in their mouths.
Worlds 2020 is drawing to a close, signifying the bitter end of the competitive season. But 2021 is a new year and the LEC will almost certainly bounce back. As a matter of fact, several European teams have already begun the process of rebuilding their rosters in preparation for the 2021 LEC Spring Split.
Here are all of the LEC roster moves that have been confirmed ahead of the 2021 season.
Astralis
Sept. 15 — Astralis signed former Nordavind coach Bjørn-Vegar “iHansen” Hansen as the team’s assistant coach alongside head coach Baltat “AoD” Alin-Ciprian.
Oct. 1 — After finishing in last place in the 2020 LEC Summer Split—Astralis’ worst performance to date—the team parted ways with Australian support player Mitchell “Destiny” Shaw.
Nov. 6 — Head coach André “Guilhoto” Pereira Guilhoto leaves the team, joins the LCS’ Immortals.
Nov. 17 — Astralis released Barney “Alphari” Morris, Andrei “Xerxe” Dragomir, Elias “Upset” Lipp, and Jakub “Jactroll” Skurzyński following a disappointing 2020 season.
Nov. 17 — Astralis acquired Matti “WhiteKnight” Sormunen, Nikolay “Zanzarah” Akatov, Jesper “Jeskla” Klarin, and Hampus Mikael “promisq” Abrahamsson ahead of the 2021 LEC season.
Excel Esports
Oct. 8 — Alejandro “Mapache” Parejo Martinez, assistant head coach of Excel Esports, entered free agency after the team finished in seventh place in the 2020 LEC Summer Split.
Nov. 3 — Marc Robert “Caedrel” Lamont retired from professional League of Legends.
Nov. 6 — Mid laner Joran “Special” Scheffer entered free agency.
Dec. 2 — Excel welcomed top laner Orome to the team.
Dec. 10 — Excel signed former SK assistant coach Petar “Unlimited” Georgiev.
Fnatic
Nov. 18 — ADC Martin “Rekkles” Larsson became a free agent.
Nov. 18 — Fnatic parted ways with substitute mid laner Felix “MagiFelix” Boström ahead of the 2021 LEC season.
Nov. 19 — Fnatic re-signed support Zdravets “Hylissang” Iliev Galabov for the 2021 LEC season.
Nov. 24 — Fnatic replaced mid laner Tim “Nemesis” Lipovšek with Cloud9’s Yasin “Nisqy” Dinçer.
Dec. 1 — Alfonso “Mithy” Aguirre Rodríguez entered free agency.
G2 Esports
Nov. 17 — G2 Esports and Luka “Perkz” Perković agreed to part ways.
Nov. 20 — G2 Esports acquired former Fnatic ADC Martin “Rekkles” Larsson.
Nov. 25 — Gary “Tolki” Mialaret joined Fnatic as the team’s new assistant coach.
Nov. 25 — Fnatic parted ways with mid laner Tim “Nemesis” Lipovšek
Nov. 26 — Fnatic signed Elias “Upset” Lipp to replace Rekkles in the bot lane.
MAD Lions
Oct. 20 — Head coach Peter “Peter Dun” Dun parted ways with MAD Lions after a disappointing Worlds 2020 performance, falling short in the play-in stage of the tournament.
Oct. 19 — MAD Lions said goodbye to top laner Andrei “Orome” Popa.
Nov. 24 — MAD Lions picked up former Movistar Riders jungler Javier “Elyoya” Prades.
Nov. 27 — Former SuperMassive Esports top laner İrfan Berk “Armut” Tükek signed with MAD Lions after demonstrating potential in the play-in stage at Worlds 2020.
Dec. 18 — Jungler Zhiqiang “Shad0w” Zhao became a free agent.
Dec. 22 — Former Fnatic analyst Carlos “Aagie” Carpio Cuenca joined MAD Lions as a data analyst.
Misfits Gaming
Oct. 21 — Misfits confirmed the departure of top laner Danny “Dan Dan” Le Comte.
Nov. 6 — Support Mads “Doss” Schwartz parted ways with Misfits.
Nov. 18 — Misfits agreed to part ways with head coach Alejandro “Jandro” Fernández-Valdés.
Dec. 10 — Misfits signed top laners Shin “HiRit” Tae-min and Tobiasz “Agresivoo” Ciba, mid laner Vincent “Vetheo” Berrié, and support Oskar “Vander” Bogdan.
Dec. 10 — Misfits signed strategic coach Alexander “Candyfloss” Cartwright.
Rogue
Nov. 16 — Top laner Finn “Finn” Wiestål and Oskar “Vander” Bogdan parted ways with Rogue after exiting from Worlds 2020 in the group stage of the tournament.
Nov. 16 — Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu joined Rogue as the team’s new top laner.
Schalke 04
Nov. 16 — Konstantinos-Napoleon “FORG1VEN” Tzortziou entered free agency.
Nov. 16 — Top laner Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu left to join LEC team Rogue.
Nov. 16 — Schalke 04 agreed to part ways with support player Han “Dreams” Min-kook.
Nov. 20 — Support Dino “LIMIT” Tot joined the team.
Nov. 25 — Schalke 04 signed top laner Sergen “Broken Blade” Çelik from TSM.
SK Gaming
Nov. 16 — SK Gaming parted ways with ADC Juš “Crownshot” Marušič.
Nov. 16 — SK welcomed former 1907 Fenerbahçe mid laner Ersin “Blue” Gören to the team.
Nov. 19 — Kristian “TynX” Østergaard Hansen, Jean “Jezu” Massol, and Erik “Treatz” Wessén signed with SK Gaming for the 2021 LEC season.
Dec. 4 — SK parted ways with strategic coach Lamine-Lounis “Paul” “Kanani” Khouani.
Dec. 10 — SK parted ways with assistant coach Petar “Unlimited” Georgiev.
Team Vitality
Nov. 17 — Team Vitality said goodbye to jungler Lee “Mowgli” Jae-ha, freeing up an import slot.
Dec. 9 — Team Vitality parted ways with top laner Lucas “Cabochard” Simon-Meslet and jungler Cantoursna “Nji” An.
Dec. 9 — Team Vitality signed Mathias “Szygenda” Jensen as the team’s new top laner.
This article will be updated as more roster changes are confirmed throughout the 2021 offseason.
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