Inner Circle Bench All Players, List Entire Roster for Transfer After Goals Not Met

Marko Brazy

13.09.2025 - 20:51

Inner Circle Bench All Players, List Entire Roster for Transfer After Goals Not Met

Polish Counter-Strike organization Inner Circle has made the significant decision to bench its entire active roster and put all players on the transfer list. This move comes just over two months after the squad was assembled. The reason cited by the org: the team “has not achieved the goals that were set for this period.”

Who is the Roster, and How Recent Is This?

The roster largely comprises former core members of 9INE, a Polish CS team that had been well ranked in recent times.
Most of the roster, except Szymon “kRaSnaL” Mrozek, joined in July 2025. kRaSnaL had been with Inner Circle since its foundation in January of that same year.
The named players who are currently benched include: Olek “hades” Miskiewicz; Kamil “KEi” Pietkun; Kacper “Kylar” Walukiewicz; Wiktor “mynio” Kruk; besides kRaSnaL himself.

Performance & Events Leading Up to This Decision

Inner Circle’s recent results were mixed; early exits in several tournaments (e.g. CS Asia Championships Europe qualifier, DraculaN Season 1) are noted. The team did, however, reach the grand final in ESEA Advanced Season 54 following an unbeaten run up to that point.
Their performance in other events was not consistent: in some qualifiers they failed to progress, and in others they had stronger showings, but apparently not enough to match the set expectations.

What the Organization Says & What This Move Means

Inner Circle acknowledged they will continue supporting the players for upcoming tournaments, explicitly mentioning they will sponsor their participation in the Birch Cup.
The organization also promised “upcoming updates” concerning what their future roster will look like. This suggests not a dissolution, but re-building or reconfiguration.
In their statement, Inner Circle pointed specifically to goals: there had been expectations (internal or external) set when assembling the roster, but those have not been met in the period since July. Bench and transfer-listing the entire active set of players is a signal that they believe a different roster or approach is needed.

Related Background: The Former 9INE Core & Inner Circle’s Ranking

The former 9INE core is well regarded in Polish CS circles. Players from 9INE had reached high HLTV world rankings in 2023. Inner Circle’s newly announced Polish lineup in July was built around these players.
According to HLTV team stats, Inner Circle’s world ranking sits at #118, with a peak around #97.
The statistics for individual players on the roster show moderate to good performance in maps played, though none have dramatically standout numbers that might justify a strong near-term push without more consistency. For example, “KEi” has a rating over 1.17 in those measurable map sets; others have ratings in the range of ~1.05 or lower.

Implications & What to Watch

Short term: Players will likely be looking for new team contracts or moves. The benched status plus transfer listing makes them officially available. Fans and other orgs will now monitor closely.
Inner Circle’s rebuild: Inner Circle’s promise to update their roster and continue supporting participation in events like Birch Cup suggests a rebuild rather than exit. They may bring in new talent or adjust their team philosophy.
Player careers: For several roster members, this is critical. Being from a high-potential former core gives visibility—but also increases pressure. Their performance in previous events will now weigh on their market value.
Competitive Polish CS landscape: Poland has several strong teams and a vibrant CS2 ecosystem. Moves like this from Inner Circle may shift how mid-tier Polish teams negotiate, build rosters, or invest. Other teams may try to pick up former Inner Circle players.