Predicting the Chaos of Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss Stage

Lee Astley, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 26/02/2026

Valorant Masters Santiago kicks off the 2026 VCT global season with a bang, starting February 28 in Chile.

The Swiss Stage from February 28 to March 4 pits eight teams, second and third seeds from EMEA, Americas, Pacific, and China, against each other in a brutal fight for four playoff spots.

With $1m on the line and direct seeds like BBL Esports, FURIA, Nongshim RedForce, and All Gamers waiting, expect fireworks.

Kickoff upsets have made this bracket one of the most unpredictable ever, blending rookies with battle-tested squads.

Here’s our deep dive into the Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss stage predictions, format, teams, and who we think survives.

Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss Stage Format and Teams Breakdown

The Swiss Stage is straightforward but unforgiving: eight teams enter, four advance with two wins, two losses mean elimination.

All matches are best-of-three. The lineup features Gentle Mates and Team Liquid (EMEA), G2 Esports and NRG (Americas), T1 and Paper Rex (Pacific), plus XLG Esports and EDward Gaming (China).

These are the fallout from regional Kickoffs, where upsets like FURIA toppling G2 and All Gamers shocking Bilibili Gaming flipped the script.

Veterans like Paper Rex, who are the T1 Masters Toronto winners and Masters Bangkok champs and face fresh faces like Gentle Mates, the EMEA Ascension squad making waves.

NRG and EDG, both past Champions winners, enter as third seeds after patchy starts.

This setup guarantees early chaos in Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss stage matchups.

G2 Esports Chasing International Redemption at Masters Santiago

G2 Esports, triple VCT Americas 2025 champs, head to Santiago as the region’s second seed after FURIA’s Kickoff upset.

Despite dominating domestically, G2’s global record stings — no international trophy in eight events, with runner-up in Masters Bangkok 2025 and early Champions Paris exit. Roster tweak swapped JonahP for high-energy flex Andrej ‘babybay’ Francist, who shone as a stand-in.

Kickoff exposed their slow macro in the fast-paced Patch 11.08 meta, but a middle-bracket revamp introduced riskier plays and new comps.

Against chaotic rookies, G2’s adaptability makes them a safe bet to advance in our Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss stage predictions.

Kickoff Upsets Fuel Unpredictable Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss Stage

This Swiss Stage stands out for its volatility. FURIA dethroned G2, All Gamers upset Bilibili and XLG, while BBL’s new lineup stunned Fnatic.

Now, Champs winners NRG and EDG join Masters champs Paper Rex and T1 in the mix, alongside wildcard Liquid and XLG.

NRG’s off-meta comps and missing hypeman s0m spell trouble; EDG struggles post-key departures and Yoru shifts.

Every matchup feels like a coin flip, amplifying the drama from February 28.

Pacific Meta Shift Powers T1 and Paper Rex Predictions

Patch 11.08 gutted sentinels like Killjoy, birthing a gunplay frenzy with double-controller/duelist comps — Pacific’s wheelhouse.

Teams like T1 and Paper Rex mastered this chaos pre-meta, with T1’s new IGL Munchkin, precision Yoru iZu, and firepower BuZz thriving.

Paper Rex, despite a slow 2026 start, survived Pacific Kickoff’s lower bracket; new signee invy Reyes adds upside. Nongshim RedForce (bye to playoffs) proves Pacific’s edge.

China squads like All Gamers could raw-dog macro gaps with talent, tilting Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss stage predictions their way.

Our Bold Valorant Masters Santiago Swiss Stage Winners Predictions

We predict Gentle Mates tops undefeated, leveraging duelist stars bipo and marteen against EDG opener; young IGL starxo’s straightforward calls shine.

G2 and Paper Rex clash Day 2 — PRX edges with Phoenix comps, but both rebound to playoffs.

T1 crushes unless Liquid repeats Kickoff magic over Fnatic. NRG bows out early.

Advancers: Gentle Mates, G2, Paper Rex, T1.

Lee Astley, Senior Editor

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