- Phoenix Esports has parted ways with two players as the team moves forward with an eight-player roster
- One of the departures comes after a season that included an eLigue 1 Tour France final and a trip to Rwanda in a new competitive role
- Ado, Sam Jr, Delo, Haruun Haruun, Shaq, Collo Gamer, Jesse and Prince remain on the Phoenix roster
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Marlone and Telki have left Phoenix Esports as the Kenyan FC team prepares for its next chapter, bringing an end to the time of two familiar names in the squad.
Phoenix will now continue with eight players: Ado, Sam Jr, Delo, Haruun Haruun, Shaq, Collo Gamer, Jesse and Prince.
The team’s farewell message is simple:
“Phoenix Esports would like to thank Marlone and Telki for their time with us. It has been an honor having them on our roster and we wish them the best in their future endeavors.”
The announcement comes after a busy FC 26 season in which Phoenix built one of the more recognizable squads in the Kenyan scene.
Now, two more names are moving on.
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Why Marlone and Telki Leaving Phoenix Matters
Roster changes are normal in esports. Players move, teams adjust and lineups evolve.
But this one still stands out because Phoenix had assembled a squad packed with familiar Kenyan FC names.
When the Phoenix Tournament was held in July, the team fielded Ado, Haruun Haruun, Telki, Delo, Sam Jr, Shaq, Marlone, Prince and Jesse in a 39-player competition featuring many of the country’s leading players.
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That nine-player group has now become eight. And while the change itself is straightforward, the story behind one of those departures is anything but ordinary.
A French Opportunity Changed Marlone’s FC 26 Story
The FC 26 season did not bring the biggest collection of trophies to Marlone’s cabinet, but it still produced some major moments.
He finished runner-up at the eLigue 1 Tour France, earning the opportunity to travel to France after Shaq, who won the event, was unable to make the trip because of document issues.
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For the runner-up, that turned into an international opportunity. It was another important moment for a player who has built his name in Kenya’s competitive gaming scene over several years.
Marlone’s Instagram bio also describes him as a 38-time champion, with several achievements from his career highlighted on the profile.
That gives some context to why his departure matters beyond one FC roster change. He may not have been one of the season’s biggest trophy collectors, but his name already had plenty of history behind it.
From Player to Head Referee in Rwanda
Then came a completely different experience. At the SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup in Kigali, Marlone was not competing as a player.
He served as the tournament’s Head Referee.
After the event, he described the weekend as an opportunity to see EA SPORTS FC from a different perspective and joked that he was giving out cards instead of collecting them.
He also thanked IndexG and SportsBiz Africa for trusting him with the role and congratulated Anas Badr after the Egyptian won the tournament.
The SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup brought 32 EA SPORTS FC 26 players together at BK Arena, with a $10,000 prize pool.
So even away from the controller, he remained part of the competitive FC environment.
Telki’s Phoenix Chapter Also Ends
Telki’s FC 26 campaign did not carry the same headline moments, but he was still part of the Phoenix setup and the wider Kenyan tournament circuit.
He also qualified from the Thika Road Mall stage of the Haier World Cup Tour before the final tournament, which Phoenix teammate Jesse eventually won.
Now that relationship with Phoenix has come to an end. What comes next will be up to him.
Phoenix Esports Now Has Eight Players
With Marlone and Telki gone, the remaining roster now includes:
- Ado
- Sam Jr
- Delo
- Haruun Haruun
- Shaq
- Collo Gamer
- Jesse
- Prince
That is a more compact group than the one Phoenix carried earlier in FC 26. It also gives the team a slightly different look heading into whatever comes next.
There is no reason to predict new signings or future moves yet.
For now, the confirmed news is simply that two players have left and eight remain.
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