Astralis have officially announced the departure of head coach Casper “ruggah” Due after the team’s disappointing run at IEM Cologne Major 2026. The Danish organization chose to make changes after failing to advance from Stage 2. The decision ends a partnership that began at the start of 2024. At the same time, Astralis quickly shut down speculation about further roster moves. The organization insisted that reports linking Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen with an exit are unfounded.
End of ruggah’s Era
Astralis confirmed the news through social media and shared a farewell message for the 37-year-old coach.
A coach, a leader, a part of our story
Today we say goodbye to @casdueh as part of our coaching staff.
Thank you for everything Coach, we wish you all the best in what comes next.
ruggah joined Astralis before the 2024 season and helped guide the team’s transition into an international lineup. During his tenure, Astralis reached the semifinals of ESL Pro League and finished second at PGL Bucharest. However, the team’s form declined in recent months. Losses to GamerLegion in key matches and a disappointing Major campaign convinced the organization to act.
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Cologne Major Failure Proved Costly
Astralis entered IEM Cologne Major 2026 with high expectations. However, the team failed to deliver. Despite starting Stage 2 as one of the favorites, Astralis failed to reach the final stage of the tournament.
The biggest issues appeared on the T side. According to HLTV statistics, Astralis posted only a 17% T-side round win rate during Stage 2. That number ranked among the worst at the event. After the elimination, HooXi openly criticized the team’s execution and decision-making in an interview with HLTV.
When we discuss the rounds outside of the game, everyone knows what’s right to do, but we’re just not doing them in the moment.
The Danish in-game leader also called some decisions “amateur.” He pointed to communication and discipline problems that repeatedly hurt Astralis during the Major.
Astralis Deny Rumors About Further Changes
Shortly after the elimination, French insider Sébastien “KRL” Perez reported that both HooXi and ruggah could leave the project. The report proved accurate regarding the coach. However, Astralis rejected speculation about any additional changes.
Rumors regarding any other changes to the team are unsubstantiated.
HLTV reports that player changes remain unlikely. For now, Astralis intend to continue with the current lineup.
Community Reactions: Support, Doubts, and Calls for mithR
The announcement sparked plenty of discussion on social media. Many fans welcomed the apparent decision to keep HooXi.
Some supporters wrote:
In HooXi we trust!
and
Thank F*** you’re keeping my GOAT HooXi.
Not everyone shared that optimism. Several fans argued that replacing only the coach would not solve the team’s deeper problems.
One user wrote:
If these are unfounded, that would be bad. Everybody can see that this team doesn’t work.
Another comment reflected the frustration of many supporters:
Nobody cares, just give us a competitive roster!
Meanwhile, fans quickly started discussing possible replacements. One of the most frequently mentioned names was Torbjørn “mithR” Nyborg.
Some users posted:
OMG LET’S GOOOO!!! (get mithr pls)
while another added:
So it’s ryu not hooxi, pretty please.
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What’s Next for Astralis?
With ruggah gone, assistant coach Max “MiGHTYMAX” Heath remains on the staff. Astralis will now begin the search for a new head coach. The next coach will need to improve the team’s execution and restore consistency. Those issues repeatedly held Astralis back during the first half of the season.
