NAVI is thinking long-term. According to sources close to Sheep Esports, Natus Vincere are preparing to launch a VALORANT academy roster for the 2026 season, targeting players aged between 16 and 19, with Ivan “Johnta” Shevtsov set to support and coach the new project.
NAVI VALORANT Academy: What We Know
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Target Age Group | 16–19 years old |
| Coach/Support | Ivan “Johnta” Shevtsov |
| Recruitment | Open — broad intake before structuring the lineup |
| Target League | VCL: NORTH//EAST |
| Slot Secured? | Not yet confirmed |
| Organisation Backing | NAVI Visa Academy platform |
Why This Makes Sense for NAVI Right Now
The idea is to open recruitment broadly, making it accessible to all interested profiles, before structuring the lineup at a later stage. It’s a smart grassroots approach — cast wide, develop talent internally, and feed the best players into the main roster pipeline over time.
This isn’t NAVI’s first foray into community-driven competitive formats. The club has already shown it can build open competitive structures, most notably through the NAVI VALORANT Ukrainian Saga tournaments, which operated via open qualifiers. The NAVI Visa Academy platform already exists as a structured pathway for emerging talent, making a dedicated VALORANT academy the logical next step.
The timing also lines up with the main roster’s current trajectory. The 2026 season brought major changes — ANGE1 switching from player to coach, and new recruits sociablEE and Filu joining the squad. With the first team rebuilding its identity in VCT EMEA, developing a young academy side targeting VCL NORTH//EAST gives the organisation a deeper talent bench for the seasons ahead.
For the European VALORANT scene, this is another signal that top organisations are investing in youth development rather than relying purely on the transfer market — a healthier long-term model for competitive VALORANT as a whole.
