Astralis have moved Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen and Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard to the bench with immediate effect. CEO Jonas Gundersen announced the decision, which ends the players’ time with the Danish organization before their contracts expire.
This move is surprising because it comes only weeks after Astralis ended a long trophy drought. The team now has to rebuild quickly, and its next event is only a few days away.
Why the Move Was Expected
The announcement came just two days after HLTV reported that Astralis were actively looking for replacements. HooXi and jabbi were also entering the final months of their contracts.
jabbi has played for Astralis since November 2023. The organization recruited him from HEROIC, together with Martin “stavn” Lund, in a blockbuster deal. HooXi joined later, in June 2025, after a stand-in period. He took over the in-game leader role from Casper “cadiaN” Møller.
Under HooXi’s leadership, Astralis won the Stake Ranked Episode 4 title. It was the team’s first LAN trophy since December 2019. In addition, the team reached the grand final of three other LAN tournaments: PGL Astana 2025, FISSURE Playground 1 and PGL Bucharest 2026.
Who Could Join the Team
Astralis are expected to unveil their new players soon. Former Liquid in-game leader Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek and FUT benched player Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov are understood to be close to joining. If the deals go through, cmtry will give up the AWP and switch to rifling.
For now, the active roster consists of Love “phzy” Smidebrant, Victor “Staehr” Staehr and Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas. Filip “NEO” Kubski remains the coach, while HooXi and jabbi are benched.
Major Hopes and the Next Event
The timing matters because of the current standings. The title run in Barcelona lifted Astralis into the top 10 of the global VRS. As a result, HLTV’s latest projections show the team as virtually certain to qualify for the Singapore Major.
Meanwhile, the schedule leaves little room for adjustment. Astralis are set to play at Stake Pulse Beat III on October 12.
Why This Decision Matters
Astralis have made a major change at a moment of real momentum. The team ended a nearly seven-year wait for a LAN trophy, reached several grand finals and moved close to a Major spot.
Therefore, the new additions will be tested right away. Stake Pulse Beat III will be the first chance to see whether the new lineup can keep the team on its current path toward Singapore.
