BIG Win Roman Imperium Cup IV: blameF Leads New-Look Roster to First Trophy of 2026

BIG have secured their first title of 2026 after defeating Betclic Apogee 2–0 in the Roman Imperium Cup IV grand final, marking an important early milestone for the German organization’s rebuilt Counter-Strike roster.

The LAN event, held in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, served as a key opportunity for teams to earn Valve Ranking System (VRS) points, and BIG made the most of it by lifting the trophy and significantly improving their ranking position.

Roman Imperium Cup IV Grand Final Result

BIG 2–0 Betclic Apogee

Train: 13–10

Ancient: 13–4

BIG showed clear control in the best-of-three series, closing out Ancient in dominant fashion to secure the title without dropping a map in the final.

blameF Shines as BIG’s New In-Game Leader

Newly appointed captain and in-game leader Benjamin “blameF” Bremer was the standout performer of the tournament. The Danish rifler finished the event with an impressive 1.60 rating, underlining his immediate impact following his recent move from fnatic.

The Roman Imperium Cup IV victory represents blameF’s first trophy with BIG and provides early validation of the organization’s decision to hand him leadership duties as part of their 2026 rebuild.

BIG Gain Crucial VRS Points and Ranking Boost

Heading into the event, BIG were ranked 87th in the relevant ranking snapshot after offseason roster changes reset their core. The tournament win propelled them up to 49th, giving the team a much-needed boost in the race for invitations to larger events.

Betclic Apogee also benefited from their deep run, climbing 62 places in the rankings following their runner-up finish.

Context: BIG’s Roster Rebuild Ahead of 2026

The Roman Imperium Cup IV title comes shortly after BIG finalized several major roster moves:

blameF joined BIG from fnatic in early January and took over as captain and IGL

Tizian “tiziaN” Feldbusch returned to the organization as assistant coach

Josef “faveN” Baumann rejoined the active lineup

BIG previously parted ways with Lukas “FreeZe” Hegmann and David “prosus” Hesse during the offseason

BIG’s management emphasized blameF’s leadership vision and experience as central to their long-term strategy, while tiziaN’s return was described internally as an immediate positive influence on practice and team structure.

Tournament Overview

Event: Roman Imperium Cup IV

Location: Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

Dates: January 15–18, 2026

Prize pool: $11,635

BIG defeated teams such as Rebels, MANA, and Betclic Apogee on their path to the title.

What This Means for BIG Going Forward

While Roman Imperium Cup IV is a lower-tier event, the victory is strategically important. It restores momentum after a turbulent offseason, delivers vital VRS points, and gives BIG’s new lineup competitive confidence heading into tougher opposition later in the year.

For BIG, the rebuild has officially begun with a trophy—and a clear step back into relevance.