Falcons Hit by Visa Setback as FaZe Enter Coaching Transition Ahead of BLAST Open Rotterdam

Falcons hit by visa setback as FaZe enter coaching transition

Falcons were dealt an early setback before the event even began.

Public reports show that kyousuke will miss Falcons’ opening match against NRG at BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 due to visa issues, with academy player NucleonZ stepping in once again. For a team still trying to push toward a higher ceiling, this is far from an ideal start.

A familiar problem returns for Falcons

What makes this kind of problem so damaging is that it is never just about one missing player.

It disrupts preparation, role distribution, and all of the team’s pre-match planning. For a lineup like Falcons, where expectations remain high, any last-minute adjustment is magnified. With NiKo, TeSeS, m0NESY, kyxsan, and kyousuke forming the intended starting five, this is not a minor tweak — it directly affects the team’s main competitive structure.

zonic raises the standards

Beyond the roster issue, another message from zonic stood out just as much.

In a recent interview, the Falcons coach said he has become “a bit harsher” with the team and revealed that he banned players from grinding FACEIT in the lead-up to the event. His reasoning was straightforward: he believes ladder matches encourage “puggy habits” that translate poorly into structured professional play.

That says something important about Falcons’ current situation. Their problem is no longer just personnel — it is about how to turn raw potential into stable, repeatable performance.

FaZe are dealing with instability of their own

FaZe, meanwhile, are hardly in a more comfortable position.

HLTV has confirmed that the team has parted ways with head coach NEO, ending a partnership that lasted nearly three years. Analyst GruBy will now step in as interim coach. In a follow-up interview, karrigan admitted that the timing of the move was surprising, especially this close to an important event.

At the same time, he also offered a more reassuring signal: for now, there is no clear indication that the player roster itself is being dismantled. In other words, FaZe have moved on the coaching side first, rather than immediately reshuffling the starting lineup.

The pressure around top teams is only getting heavier

If you place Falcons and FaZe side by side, the same issue becomes impossible to miss.

Top teams are no longer only fighting their opponents. They are also fighting preparation problems, roster instability, staff changes, and the pressure of keeping structure under a brutal schedule. Falcons are being forced to adjust because of visa issues, while FaZe are entering a major event with a sudden coaching change. Both cases highlight just how little margin for error exists at the top level.

EPL’s aftershock is still being felt

At the same time, HLTV has just released the EVP and All-Stars selections for the ESL Pro League Season 23 Finals.

NAVI had already defeated Aurora in the grand final, with makazze earning the first HLTV MVP of his career. For teams that have barely had time to reset, that means the effects of one major event are still hanging over the scene even as the next one is already beginning.

What this means going forward

The core of this story is not just two separate news items.

It reflects a broader reality across top-level Counter-Strike: as the schedule gets denser and the value of every tournament rises, elite teams are no longer judged only by how strong they are, but by how well they avoid disruption.

Falcons now have to solve the problem of lineup instability and maintain discipline under pressure.
FaZe have to prove they can stay on course after a sudden coaching shift.
And for viewers, the most interesting thing over the next few weeks may not simply be the scorelines — it may be which teams can preserve structure while everything around them keeps changing.