On 23 June 2026, Ukrainian esports organisation PassionUA announced that its Founder and former owner, professional footballer Oleksandr Zinchenko, has officially ended his partnership and exited the club.

Zinchenko’s departure concludes a three-year stint acting as a primary media partner to build the club’s brand and unlock new commercial opportunities. The AFC Ajax defender provided minimal details regarding the definitive “why” behind his departure during an accompanying video broadcast on Twitch, shining the spotlight on his time with the organisation, which included appearances at two Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Majors—Shanghai and Budapest—and reaffirming his passion for Counter-Strike and the Ukrainian community.

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Chief Executive Officer Artemijs Rjabovs, the effective owner of PassionUA since May 2025, reflected on the long-term impact of the founder’s contribution: “Three years ago, Oleksandr Zinchenko believed in Passion UA. His support helped lay the foundation for the club’s growth, and his involvement in the project was an important part of our shared story. I’m grateful for the support, the trust, and the belief in the project throughout all this time.” Rjabovs additionally noted that the club “continues to move forward… with full focus on what lies ahead.”

The executive departure arrives at an exceptionally tumultuous operational period for Passion UA’s competitive CS2 division. The organisation’s entire active playing roster is reportedly up for sale. This rebuilding phase follows a commercial push for the 2026 calendar year, which was initiated by the club during the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.

Since founding the organisation in August 2023, the football player’s active involvement provided significant corporate relevance for the brand, leveraging his mainstream athletic standing to establish high-level networking contacts and anchor institutional relationships across the broader European sports landscape. Passion UA has successfully leveraged its founding star power to maintain an elite corporate partner network, which includes global sportswear manufacturer adidas, betting platform VBet, and gaming peripherals brand Lorgar.

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