Esports analyst Duncan “Thorin” Shields discussed in detail on the Feed The Trolls podcast the risks Natus Vincere could face if the team fails in the qualification process for the PGL Singapore Major 2026.
According to Shields, if NAVI are unable to qualify directly through ESL Pro League Season 24 or PGL Masters Bucharest 2026, they will have to compete at VRS LAN events. The analyst believes this could pose a serious threat to the team:
- Lack of individual superstars: The roster does not have players capable of single-handedly carrying the team through exhausting matches, making NAVI vulnerable against underdogs such as Alliance.
- Playstyle limitations: NAVI’s structured and systematic approach may be less effective against tier-two and tier-three teams that play a more chaotic style of Counter-Strike.
Natus Vincere remain the only organization in the world to have never missed a Major in the history of the discipline. Failing to qualify for the tournament would create enormous media pressure, comparable to the reputational storm surrounding FaZe Clan.
The biggest danger for the organization is a potential roster collapse. Losing key figures such as Valerij “b1t” Vakhovsjkyj or head coach Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi could immediately push the team outside the world’s top 10.
The analyst also noted that NAVI could find it difficult to attract star players from other teams due to several factors:
- No “magnet” for top players: The team does not have a figure on NiKo’s level around whom a superstar roster could be built.
- Internal dissatisfaction: Rumors of frustration within the roster, particularly regarding b1t, can spread quickly among professional players and make the organization less attractive to potential signings.
- Salary levels: According to Shields’ estimates, the salaries of most NAVI players, with the exception of b1t, are around 60% of what Team Vitality players earn and significantly lower than the offers available from Team Falcons or G2 Esports.
If the organization fails to qualify at the end of 2026, it could be forced to switch to an exclusively Ukrainian direction, recruiting players from teams such as B8 Esports or Monte. However, Thorin doubts that constantly rebuilding the roster with less experienced players would allow NAVI to return to the world’s top two, even under B1ad3’s leadership.
As a reminder, ESL Pro League Season 24 featured Vitality’s triumph, a phenomenal performance from ZywOo, and several of the tournament’s biggest surprises.