The need for roster changes arose following a period of disappointing results: in early December, paiN moved David “dav1deuS” Tapia Maldonado and Franco “dgt” Garcia to the bench, reducing the active roster to three players.
vsm — One of the Main Candidates
vsm has already left his previous team, Keyd Stars , earlier this week, which only fueled rumors about his potential transfer. In 2025, the Brazilian rifler showcased impressive form on the domestic scene, making him one of the most consistent players in the region.
Situation with ewjerkz
As for ewjerkz, negotiations with paiN are ongoing, but a final agreement has yet to be reached. The Portuguese player was recently benched by Ninjas in Pyjamas after a mediocre performance at the StarLadder Budapest Major.
Potential paiN Roster at the Start of 2026
If negotiations are successfully concluded, paiN could start the new season with the following roster:
- Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt
- Lucas “nqz” Soares
- João “snow” Vinicius
- Vinicius “vsm” Moreira
- Michel “ewjerkz” Pinto
Coach:
- Henrique “rikz” Waku
paiN Gaming is betting on a combination of experience and current player form in an attempt to return to stable results in 2026. The transfer of vsm seems almost certain, while the signing of ewjerkz remains an open question in the coming weeks.
