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VCT Masters Santiago 2026: All You Need to Know Guide

VCT Masters Santiago 2026: All You Need to Know Guide

16 Feb, 2026, 21:47

The 2026 VCT season is here and with the conclusion of Kickoff tournaments globally, the first Masters event of the season is upon us. VCT Masters Santiago assembles 12 of the best VALORANT teams in the world across 16 days to crown the tenth Masters winner and the first of the season. Which of the four regions will step forth in this pivotal first bout?

Attending Teams

A total of 12 teams will be in attendance for the first Masters event of the season - 3 from each of the 4 VCT leagues (Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China). Here are the attendees:

	VCT Americas	VCT EMEA	VCT Pacific	VCT China
1st Seed	FURIA	BBL Esports	NS RedForce	All Gamers
2nd Seed	G2 Esports	Gentle Mates	T1	XLG Esports
3rd Seed	NRG	Team Liquid	Paper Rex	EDward Gaming

This year, a fair few well-established names aren't even in attendance, with Kickoff 2026 across the 4 regions delivering incredible storylines from unexpected teams. Check out their stories here.

Key Dates and Format

Masters Santiago is spread across 16 days, from February 28^th to March 15^th. The tournament consists of 2 stages – Swiss Stage and Playoffs – and a break of 2 days in between the stages.

	Swiss Stage	Playoffs Stage
Date	Feb 28th - Mar 4th	Mar 6th - 15th
No. of Teams	8	8
Format	Swiss System	Double Elimination

The 1st seeds from each region immediately earned a bye for Santiago, and are headed directly for Playoffs. Meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd seeds will have to battle it out in the Swiss Stage. The top 4 performing teams will then join the awaiting 4 in Playoffs, where a double-elimination gauntlet will have to be traversed.

All matches in the Swiss Stage will be Bo3 format (Best-of-Three). Playoffs will mostly be Bo3 as well, with the exception of the Lower Bracket Final and Grand Final, which will be Bo5 (Best-of-Five).

12 incredible teams. 12 incredible storylines. Who will emerge the victor in Santiago? Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

12 incredible teams. 12 incredible storylines. Who will emerge the victor in Santiago? Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

How to Watch Masters Santiago 2026?

All matches for Masters Santiago are confirmed to be live-streamed in English on Twitch, Youtube, and TikTok (1, 2). Check out our guide for ticket information and how to purchase.

*The article may be updated as more information comes to light. Last updated: 16/2/2026

Check out Strafe Esports for all the latest VALORANT news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured Image Credit: VCT // Riot Games

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