Astralis bench HooXi and jabbi became official on October 9, 2026, when the organization moved Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen and Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard to the bench with immediate effect. The decision matters because it breaks up Astralis’ Danish core just days before its next scheduled event and shortly before the Singapore Major cycle.
Astralis confirms the immediate roster move
According to HLTV’s report on the announcement, Astralis confirmed that both players were removed from the active lineup immediately. HLTV also noted that the news arrived two days after it reported Astralis were already looking for replacements for the pair, with both players entering the final months of their deals.
In a statement quoted by HLTV, sports director Jonas Gundersen said Astralis would continue without HooXi and jabbi and that both contracts expire at the end of the year. He also thanked them for helping the team secure its first LAN win since 2019. For a broader view of market categories around roster-driven match speculation, CS2 gambling site comparisons usually separate outright betting from skin-based products.
Why the timing stands out
The benching lands right after a successful spell on the server. HLTV framed the move as part of a roster reset immediately after a title run, with HooXi having led Astralis to the Stake Ranked Episode 4 championship. HLTV described that event as Astralis’ first LAN trophy since December 2019, making the decision notable because it followed tangible improvement rather than a long slump.
That same stretch also included grand final appearances at PGL Astana 2025, FISSURE Playground 1, and PGL Bucharest 2026. HLTV added that the title run in Barcelona pushed Astralis back into the global top 10 in Valve Regional Standings, or VRS. When discussions shift toward upcoming match lines after roster news, Counter-Strike betting platforms typically treat lineup confirmation as a key variable rather than relying on recent trophies alone.
What changes on the active roster
After the double benching, the active player list shown in HLTV’s article contained only three players and a coach. That group was Love “phzy” Smidebrant, Victor “Staehr” Staehr, and Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas, with Filip “NEO” Kubski listed as coach.
| Role | Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Player | Love “phzy” Smidebrant | Active |
| Player | Victor “Staehr” Staehr | Active |
| Player | Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas | Active |
| Coach | Filip “NEO” Kubski | Listed with team |
HLTV said Astralis were scheduled to play at Stake Pulse Beat III on October 12, 2026. That short turnaround makes the next official lineup reveal especially important, because the team must fill competitive roles immediately instead of carrying out a slow offseason rebuild.
Potential replacements are already being discussed
HLTV reported that former Liquid in-game leader Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek and benched FUT player Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov were understood to be close to joining Astralis. The same report added that, if those deals go through, cmtry would give up the AWP and switch to rifling.
That possible structure would represent more than a one-for-one swap. HooXi had taken over from Casper “cadiaN” Møller after signing in June 2025 following a stand-in period, while jabbi had been with Astralis since November 2023 after arriving from HEROIC alongside Martin “stavn” Lund. In that sense, Astralis bench HooXi and jabbi is both a short-term lineup change and a wider reset of the team’s recent core.
HLTV’s latest projections said Astralis were virtually certain to qualify for the Singapore Major because of their VRS rise, so the immediate pressure is less about qualification and more about form. That is why CS2 odds comparisons can move sharply after confirmed lineup news: role changes alter how a team should be evaluated even when its ranking position stays high.
