Only the top four teams will secure a place in the Playoffs, but first they must survive the Masters Santiago Swiss Stage.
The VALORANT Masters Santiago event is nearly underway, kicking off with an exciting Swiss Stage. We’re eager to see which four teams will secure their spots in the Playoffs, joining the top seeds from each region.
Masters Santiago Swiss Stage draw
After the final qualifying matches across all regions, the draw for the Masters Santiago took place, setting the opening matchups for the Swiss Stage. The initial matches are:
- Gentle Mates vs EDward Gaming
- T1 vs Team Liquid
- G2 Esports vs Paper Rex
- Xi Lai Gaming vs NRG
We still don't have the official schedules, so the order of the matches might change. The teams have only two chances to secure a spot in the Playoffs. Lose two times, and you are out of the tournament.
The most exciting matches
In a group full of popular teams, Gentle Mates emerges as one of the most surprising qualifiers for the tournament. Curiosity is high about how they will perform on the international stage, especially with 2021 Champions winner Patryk "starxo" Kopczyński guiding the team as their in-game leader.
The team will face off against the 2024 Champions winners, EDward Gaming (EDG). Since claiming that title, the Chinese team hasn’t consistently hit top form, with their best result being a third-place finish at the Masters Bangkok.
Still in the EMEA region, the new additions to Team Liquid could make an impact in the Masters Santiago Swiss Stage. The team hasn’t run away from tough matches against Korean organizations, having been eliminated from Champions 2025 by DRX. Now, they face a different challenge in T1, who have also struggled at times since their Masters Bangkok victory.
G2 Esports versus Paper Rex is a rivalry fans know well, and chaos is almost guaranteed. Both teams have recently made roster changes, which makes this first international clash with their new lineups even more intriguing.
As for Xi Lai Gaming against NRG, it could be a tough challenge for the Chinese squad. NRG, the Champions 2025 winners, are determined to maintain their international momentum, and stopping them will be no easy task for XLG.
We’re excited to see which teams will secure a spot in the Playoffs, where only four will advance to join the top seeds from each region: BBL Esports, FURIA, All Gamers, and NS RedForce. The Masters Santiago kicks off on Feb. 28.
