Astralis reportedly looking to sell LEC slot with major ERL org in talks as replacement

After spending three years competing at the top of the European League of Legends scene, Astralis might be making its way out of the LEC.

The organization is reportedly looking to sell its slot in the league, with multiple teams being considered for the position in its stead, according to esports journalist Alejandro “anonimotum” Gomis. Astralis hasn’t reached a complete agreement with any of the candidates yet, but it does have plenty of time before the start of the 2024 season.

Team Falcons was reportedly making headway toward a possible deal with Astralis, but Riot Games did not sanction the purchase and talks eventually broke down. Team Falcons is a Saudi Arabian esports organization that currently fields teams in VALORANT, Overwatch, Rocket League, and PUBG, and has been running since 2017.

Astralis also reportedly isn’t too interested in merging with another esports team, like how Rogue partnered up with KOI last year to bring the widely-popular Spanish organization to the LEC. Astralis’ focus is a full sale of the slot—and there are reportedly some big-name teams from the European Regional Leagues that are interested.

This isn’t the first time Astralis has been linked to a possible sale of its LEC slot, with speculation surrounding its departure having started as early as last October. There were plenty of rumors and reports that had popular French org Karmine Corp joining the league in its stead, but ultimately, those talks fizzled out before the start of the new year.

With sale talk starting to spark once more, many League fans believe Karmine Corp could be one of the few ERL teams that could enter the LEC. With viewership that rivals the top league, this organization could bring waves of incredibly dedicated supporters to the region’s thriving fan base.