FunPlus Phoenix bring in Ben1Ley

by Juandi March 25, 2026

Ben1Ley completes FunPlus Phoenix’s revamped lineup as the team look to bounce back from their 11th-12th place Kickoff finish.

CHINA – FunPlus Phoenix have officially signed Shi “Ben1Ley” Benyu to complete their roster ahead of VCT CN Stage 1 in Hangzhou.

Ben1Ley has already had his first taste of competition with the squad, having debuted under the FPX banner during the CN Evolution Cup Series Act 1. There, he was immediately slotted into the controller role previously occupied by Natchaphon “sScary” Matarat. While FPX were only able to put together a short run in the event, they did manage to secure a win over Nova Esports before being knocked out in convincing fashion by eventual champions Bilibili Gaming.

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(Photo courtesy of FPX)

His signing continues FPX’s rebuild heading into Stage 1. The team had shown some promise during the OFF//SEASON, offering glimpses that the roster could become a serious threat again, but those signs failed to carry over once the official season began. In the aftermath of Kickoff, FPX moved on from sScary, who had only recently returned from retirement, while longtime primary duelist Qu “Life” Donghao also departed the organization to join Dragon Ranger Gaming.

Those exits left FPX with multiple gaps to fill. The team had already committed their import slot to former Team Vitality player Blendi “KovaQ” Kovaci, who is set to take over the in-game leading responsibilities. Around him, FPX are now placing their faith in younger talent, with Ben1Ley joining fellow rookie Ou “Setrod” Tai-geng.

While Ben1Ley is now being brought in to handle controller duties, he is best known for doing something very different in his most notable appearance prior to joining FPX.

Last December, he represented 5FW at the CN National Competition Season 5 Finals in Fuzhou, where the team finished second behind Any Questions. During that event, he was seen playing Yoru and Neon across all last three of the team’s series, producing 221 ACS and a 1.30 KDA over 170 rounds.

FunPlus Phoenix are set to return to official competition in just over a week, opening their VCT CN Stage 1 campaign in Hangzhou against JDG Esports on March 1 before facing All Gamers on March 3.

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