NiKo further douses rumors of Falcons roster changes: "I'm really happy that we are keeping this lineup together"

On December 26th, HLTV named Falcons star Nikola "NiKo" Kovač the 18th best player of 2025, marking the tenth year in a row the Bosnian phenom has earned the honor. NiKo's return to the HLTV Top 20 comes despite a rather disappointing year for Falcons, with a number of star signing from the Saudi organization failing to usher in an era or even multiple trophies throughout the year.

This has led many to speculate that Falcons will break out the checkbook once again to shore up their roster with "one more superstar". However, NiKo dismissed the potential of any roster moves in his Top 20 interview with Luís "MIRAA" Mira, telling HLTV that he is "really happy that [Falcons] are keeping this lineup together."

NiKo's suggestion that Falcons will not be changing any pieces heading into 2026 follows Falcons' Chairman and Owner Musaed "Msdossary" Al-Dossary also claiming last week that "there's no intention to change anyone" within the lineup.

With both NiKo and Al-Dossary going on record to claim that Falcons will be keeping their lineup intact in the new year, it likely closes the book on speculation that players like MOUZ star Jimi "Jimpphat" Salo are headed to Riyadh. However, should Falcons continue to stumble and come up short in 2026, there is always the potential that Falcons will be keen to spend big once again especially if they fall short at the IEM Cologne Major 2026 this summer.