Movistar KOI

Last updated

Movistar KOI
Movistar KOI logo.png
Short nameMKOI / MKF
Divisions
Founded4 January 2024;21 months ago (2024-01-04)
Team history
  • MAD Lions KOI [a] (2024)
Based in Madrid, Spain
Colors  
CEO Ibai Llanos
Fernando Piquer
Adam Adamou
Partners Movistar, Kappa, Cupra, Mahou, Omen, Razer, Médicos del Mundo, Ecoembes
Parent group OverActive Media
Website movistarkoi.gg

Movistar KOI is a Spanish professional esports organisation owned by OverActive Media. The organisation was created as a result of a merger between KOI, Movistar Riders and MAD Lions in January 2024. [1] As part of a triple merger, during 2024 they competed under two names: Movistar KOI and MAD Lions KOI. [2] The final merger was announced at the Movistar KOI-Con event on 6 December 2024. [3]

Contents

The organisation competes with two teams in League of Legends (European LEC and Spanish Superliga); one team in Free Fire and Teamfight Tactics ; and two players for Pokémon World Championships . It will also be present in Fortnite . [4] On 7 January 2025, it dissolved its Counter-Strike 2 team. [5]

History

The organisation was founded on 4 January 2024 by three Spanish teams: KOI, founded in December 2021 by Ibai Llanos and former footballer of FC Barcelona Gerard Piqué; [6] Movistar Riders, founded in January 2017 by Fernando Piquer and David Cantolla; [7] and MAD Lions, founded in August 2017 as MAD Lions Esports Club by Sergio Yáñez, Marcos Eguillor and Jorge Schnura. [8]

On 6 September 2025, Riot Games terminated Movistar KOI's partnership slot in the European VCT, which they had since 2023, citing violations of the Team Participation Agreement. Ibai stated that Riot did this without any prior warning, despite MKOI already hiring a coach for 2026, and floated the possibility that Riot would give their spot to Gentle Mates, a French organization who had been relegated from the VCT in 2025 but had a loyal following and strong viewership. [9] On 7 October, Riot would officially announce that Gentle Mates would replace MKOI as a European VCT partner. [10]

Rosters

Movistar KOI rosters
League of Legends (LEC)
HandleNameNationality
MyrwnÁlex Pastor VillarejoSpain
Elyoya Javier Prades BatallaSpain
JojopyunJoseph Joon-pyunCanada
SupaDavid Martínez GarcíaSpain
AlvaroÁlvaro Fernández del AmoSpain
League of Legends (Superliga)
HandleNameNationality
NightSlayerIvan BilousUkraine
TimeTiago AlmeidaPortugal
FresskowyBartłomiej PrzewoźnikPoland
13Zayan TaeauFrance
ThomasTomislav NanjaraCroatia
Dyenn Emojione BW 1F503.svgDaniel Sánchez VeraSpain
Free Fire
HandleNameNationality
ShyroooJuan Esteban PeláezColombia
LeitoLeonel CartassoArgentina
EliteePablo RodríguezArgentina
VidalaoRaúl VidalesMexico
NickoNicolás Alejandro HerreraChile
Teamfight Tactics
HandleNameNationality
RevenAntonio PinoSpain
DalesomIgnacio CosanoSpain
Safo20-Spain
ODESZA-Spain
Pokémon World Championships
HandleNameNationality
PokeAlexÁlex GómezSpain
RiopaserEric RíosSpain
Legend:
  • (I) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • (L) On loan
  • (2W) Two-way player
  • Emojione BW 1F503.svg Substitute
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injury / Illness

Notes

  1. ↑ Competed simultaneously alongside the current name.

References

  1. ↑ Nicholson, Jonno (4 January 2024). "OverActive Media looks to acquire KOI, Movistar Riders". Esports Insider. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "MAD Lions KOI y Movistar KOI: así del nuevo club de Ibai Llanos, Fernando Piquer y Adam Adamou". marca.com (in Spanish). 5 January 2024. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  3. ↑ "Movistar KOI confirma su nuevo nombre y logo para competiciones". esports.as.com (in Spanish). 6 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  4. ↑ "Movistar KOI expande fronteras: nuevos equipos en Fortnite y Free Fire". esports.as.com (in Spanish). 7 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "Movistar KOI se despide del Counter Strike 2: adiós al mejor equipo español de la historia". marca.com (in Spanish). 7 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "KOI". kosmosholding.com.
  7. ↑ "Movistar Riders es el nuevo club bajo la marca de Telefónica". as.com (in Spanish). 10 January 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  8. ↑ "Nace MAD Lions E.C., un club eSport que competirá en la primera división de League of Legends". elreferente.es (in Spanish). 31 August 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  9. ↑ Guimarães, Sofia (6 September 2025). "Riot Games terminates VCT EMEA partnership with Movistar KOI". esports.gg. No. 6 September 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  10. ↑ Sayal, Rabia (7 October 2025). "Gentle Mates replaces KOI in VCT EMEA until end of 2026". Esports Insider. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
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