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Falcons have officially announced the signing of Finn “karrigan” Andersen from FaZe, capping off a chaotic evening of Counter-Strike roster news that also saw FaZe confirm the Danish IGL’s departure and Falcons bench Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski. The three announcements landed within an hour of each other on Monday, confirming what had been the worst-kept secret in CS2 over the past week.

The move hands Falcons one of the most decorated in-game leaders in Counter-Strike history and ends karrigan’s second stint at FaZe, a five-year spell that brought the organisation its only Major title. For kyxsan, it closes a 16-month chapter at the Saudi-backed org just weeks before the IEM Cologne Major.

karrigan’s FaZe Exit Ends A Five-Year Era

karrigan leaves FaZe after rejoining the org in February 2021, when he replaced Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer in the starting lineup.

His return was a turning point. Within 18 months he had lifted the Antwerp Major trophy, FaZe’s first and only Major win, and he followed it up with Intel Grand Slam Season 4 in 2023. In total, he picked up eight notable LAN titles during this second run, and guided the team to grand finals at the Copenhagen, Shanghai, and Budapest Majors. IEM Chengdu 2024 stands as the last trophy he won in FaZe colours.

In a farewell post, karrigan acknowledged the weight of the moment. “I came back to FaZe for a reason, to create history, and that we did, especially in 2022,” he wrote. “It’s always been a privilege to wear this jersey.” FaZe responded with a tribute of their own, calling him “Counter-Strike’s greatest showman” and thanking him for his leadership and trophies.

The departure comes after a brutal season for FaZe. Following Robin “ropz” Kool’s move to Vitality, the team spiralled into a run of form that saw them miss a Major for the first time since the org entered Counter-Strike in 2016. In a PGL Bucharest interview with HLTV earlier this year, karrigan had already opened the door to walking away, saying he just wanted “FaZe back at the top, with or without me.”

Falcons Bench kyxsan After IEM Rio Campaign

kyxsan’s exit from the active roster was announced moments before the karrigan signing went official. The Macedonian IGL joined Falcons in January 2025 alongside René “TeSeS” Madsen and Abdul “degster” Gasanov, and spent 16 months building the project into a consistent finalist. Under his leadership, Falcons lifted the PGL Bucharest trophy and finished runner-up at six other events, most recently at the BLAST Bounty Finals in January.

karrigan Falcons Kyxsan Benched

The decision followed Falcons’ third-place finish at IEM Rio on Sunday. kyxsan reacted to the news with composure on X. “Unfortunate timing to receive the news with the Cologne Major coming up very soon, but the organization felt like a change is needed and I respect their decision,” he wrote. “It was still a good experience for me and it was a pleasure to be part of a team with so much potential.”

Read More: Team Vitality Win IEM Rio 2026, Make Counter-Strike History With Back-To-Back ESL Grand Slams

Read More: Furia FalleN Announces CS2 Retirement at End of 2026 During Emotional IEM Rio Speech

Reuniting With NiKo And zonic

The signing sees karrigan reunite with Nikola “NiKo” Kovač for the first time since 2018. The pair spent two years together on FaZe between 2016 and 2018, a partnership that produced seven titles and cemented both players’ reputations at the top of the scene. Coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen is another familiar face, having worked alongside karrigan during his Astralis days a decade ago.

karrigan Falcons Kyxsan bench

The appeal for Falcons is obvious. Since signing the HEROIC core in January 2025, the roster has reached seven grand finals but only converted one, lifting the trophy at PGL Bucharest. Bringing in a leader of karrigan’s pedigree is a clear bid to turn those deep runs into silverware, particularly with the IEM Cologne Major on the horizon.

The New Rosters Heading Into The Cologne Major

Both teams now head into a busy stretch of the calendar with reshaped lineups and plenty to prove.

FalconsFaZe
Finn “karrigan” AndersenHelvijs “broky” Saukants
Nikola “NiKo” KovačRussel “Twistzz” Van Dulken
Ilya “m0NESY” OsipovDavid “frozen” Čerňanský
René “TeSeS” MadsenJakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski
Maksim “kyousuke” LukinTBD
Danny “zonic” Sørensen (coach)Niclas “enkay J” Krumhorn (coach)

Falcons’ next outing comes at PGL Astana, which kicks off on May 9 and gives karrigan a short runway to settle in before Cologne. FaZe have a trickier path. With no fifth player officially confirmed, reports suggest ENCE’s benched rifler Ryan “Neityu” Aubry will stand in at BLAST Rivals Season 1 from April 29 to May 3 and IEM Atlanta from May 11 to 17. The team recently appointed Niclas “enkay J” Krumhorn as head coach, signalling that a longer rebuild is now underway.

For Falcons, the karrigan era begins immediately. For FaZe, the post-karrigan era is a blank page.