How an early Champions exit sparked FUT Esports’ looming roster fracture

Ahsan Kabir Published October 8, 2026

FUT Esports had a disappointing finish to the Valorant Champions Shanghai 2026 season, losing to T1 and exiting early from the tournament. Nevertheless, FUT managed to finish top three in VCT EMEA Stage 1 and Stage 2, as well as top five at Masters London during the 2026 season.

After the loss, 18-year-old duelist Efe “s0pp” shared his experience and what changes could take place over the offseason. He also talked about his time in Shanghai and expressed whether he intends to continue with the team.

s0pp says FUT reached its potential

Image credit: Riot Games

In his discussion with Sheep Esports following the loss against T1, s0pp expressed his candid views regarding FUT’s performance and any possible changes for the team. He said that the existing squad has tried its best but also intimated that some of the members could leave.

“I think some people or maybe even me, could leave. I don’t know, but changes are going to happen,” s0pp said.

“I think we did well with what we had,” s0pp said. “We did our best to win, but with this roster, I think that was all we could have done.”

He believed FUT could have reached the playoffs and, in the best-case scenario, even finished in the top four. However, he also admitted that the team may not have been fully locked in during the elimination match.

“Maybe we weren’t really locked in because it was an elimination game,” he said.

However, FUT had opportunities in both games but T1 won in both Sunset and Ascent with a scoreline of 13-10. This result marked the end of FUT’s Champions’ tournament before even entering the playoffs.

Also, players interested, make sure you are keeping up with the latest VALORANT live results by using our live scores section.

FUT could make roster and staff changes

The highlight came when s0pp was questioned regarding FUT’s offseason plans. 

According to the duelist, changes are expected in the roster and coaching staff, due to the dissimilarities in playing styles and approaches to VALORANT.

“I feel like we’re going to make roster and staff changes,” s0pp said.

However, he also mentioned that there is no guarantee that changes will follow. FUT qualified for Champions with the same team, so the organization may choose to stay with the same core.

“But even with that, we made it to Champs, so roster changes might not happen actually,” he added.

That makes his next comment important:

“I think some people or maybe even me, could leave. I don’t know, but changes are going to happen.”

However, there is no report yet on whether or not s0pp or any other FUT player is leaving the squad. His words just show that there is a possibility of change in the offseason period.

Fans are already debating FUT’s future

Image credit: Riot Games

s0pp’s statements have certainly added more fire to the debate about the future of FUT. While there are some fans who continue to back the young duelist, there are others who think that the team requires a change.

In a discussion, one fan defended s0pp after his post following elimination, writing, “keep your head high bro. You don’t deserve this.” Another user took a harsher view, claiming, “fut aren’t winning shit after this humiliation.”

The reaction was also mixed on Reddit. One commenter criticized the team’s performance, saying, “sociablee being the best on fut this match should tell you how bad fut were.”

A breakthrough season for s0pp & Shanghai left an impression

Regardless of what happens in the future, 2026 was an important year for s0pp.

He joined his first-ever VCT season after playing for ULF Esports in Ascension. FUT signed him in March and immediately put him in the starting position.

He came to the Champions at the age of 18 and confessed that he did not expect to be there in the first place. But as the season went on, he gained experience and confidence to become an integral part of FUT and facilitate their way to the Masters London and Champions Shanghai tournaments.  Despite losing his tournament spot, s0pp said he appreciated the opportunity he had.

Although the result was unsatisfactory, s0pp was impressed by Shanghai. He confessed fans were aware of his presence when he went to a shopping mall together with his teammates sociablEE and KROSTALY. According to s0pp, nearly 100 to 200 people approached him for taking photos, and another 40 to 50 people followed him to a café.

The experience was unlike anything he had experienced before, even in Turkey. s0pp also said he would like to play in the Chinese VALORANT region one day, leaving open the possibility of a return to Shanghai.

What happens to FUT next?

Image credit: Riot Games

FUT now enters an important offseason. The team has proved it can compete domestically and qualify for major international events. But after another early international exit, FUT may decide that changes are necessary.

s0pp has not confirmed that he is leaving, and FUT have not announced any roster moves. Still, his comments suggest that the current lineup may not remain untouched. For now, the biggest question is whether FUT will trust the roster that took them to Champions or make changes to push for a deeper international run in 2027. Based on s0pp’s comments, the answer could come sooner than expected.

Related to:

FUT Esports VCT Champions Playoffs