The final day of the VALORANT Masters Santiago’s Swiss Stage delivered the drama befitting elimination matches as both Americas representatives: NRG and G2 Esports, secured Playoffs qualification with commanding performances. NRG dismantled Team Liquid 2-0 in a clinical display, while G2 exacted revenge against T1 in a thrilling 2-0 series that featured a spectacular Haven comeback.
With Paper Rex and Gentle Mates having already qualified undefeated at 2-0, day five determined the final two Playoffs spots. NRG and G2 join them alongside regional first seeds Nongshim RedForce, All Gamers, FURIA, and BBL Esports in the knockout stage beginning March 6th.
NRG vs Team Liquid: keiko Eliminates Former Teammates
Image credit: Riot Games
The opening match carried added intrigue as NRG’s keiko faced his former Team Liquid squad. The two new rosters had never met in their current form; their last encounter came at Masters Tokyo with entirely different lineups except for nAts.
Map 1: Breeze — NRG Survive TL’s Early Lead
Team Liquid selected Breeze, a map where they posted a 5-0 record across EMEA Kickoff. Starting on attack with their Neon/Yoru composition, TL exploded to a quick 5-1 lead through coordinated site executes. NRG called a timeout and immediately adapted. Americas’ third seed won four of the next six rounds, clawing back to make it 7-5 at halftime. The adjustment showcased NRG’s flexibility under pressure.
After the sideswap, starting on attack, NRG won the pistol to tie the score 7-7, then 8-8. Team Liquid responded with three consecutive rounds to push ahead 11-8, appearing to close out the opener. NRG’s coach bonkar called another timeout, and his adjustments proved decisive. G2 won five rounds in a row to steal the map 13-11, denying TL and seizing momentum.
The max impact on the map was by keiko and mada, who collectively found 48 kills and 11 first kills on their double-duelist setup. The duo’s aggressive entries consistently created numbers advantages that NRG converted into site control.
Image credit: Riot Games
Map 2: Abyss — NRG Cruise to Sweep
NRG selected Abyss, a map where they’d looked dominant throughout the tournament with a perfect record. Team Liquid attempted to throw them a curveball by deploying Harbor, a new composition designed to disrupt NRG’s preparation.
The gambit failed spectacularly. NRG remained unfazed, winning the pistol and building a dominant 8-4 halftime lead. Their double-initiator composition paid major dividends as they found retake after retake, dismantling TL’s postplant. After the side swap, Team Liquid desperately needed the pistol to mount a comeback. Instead, NRG continued their beastly run, winning five consecutive rounds on attack to close the map 13-4 and eliminate Team Liquid from Masters Santiago.
Keiko claimed map MVP honors on Omen, posting a staggering 319 ACS and +14 kill differential against his old teammates. He also earned series MVP with 7 first kills, +22 kill differential, and 284 average ACS across both maps.
Image credit: Riot Games
In the post-match press conference, keiko reflected on the difference between his two teams: “I’m more hype now, constantly cheering and stuff. We weren’t allowed to be as emotional on Liquid.” This freedom that translated directly into results on the server today.
For Team Liquid, the elimination extends a painful historical pattern. The European squad has not escaped the group stage at an international event since 2022. Their recent placements tell the story: 9th-10th at Santiago, 9th-12th at Champions Paris, 9th-10th at Masters Toronto, 5th-6th at Masters Bangkok, 13th-16th at Champions Los Angeles, and 17th-32nd at LOCK//IN Brazil. Only at Champions Istanbul 2022 did they make Playoffs.
After their miraculous comeback against T1 on day two, overturning an 11-7 deficit to force overtime, they couldn’t recapture that magic against NRG. The loss ends their Santiago run before Playoffs, continuing their group stage elimination curse over the last four years.
G2 Esports vs T1: Americas Second Seed Exacts Revenge for Masters Bangkok
Image credit: Riot Games
The second elimination match delivered a much-awaited showdown; a rematch of the Masters Bangkok final where T1 claimed their first international trophy. G2 had defeated T1 2-0 at Champions Paris to qualify for Playoffs while eliminating the Korean squad. And today, the winner would make playoffs while the loser went home.
Map 1: Breeze — G2’s Retakes Overwhelm T1
T1 selected Breeze and started on defense. Both teams deployed double-duelist/double-controller compositions with Sova — the only difference being G2’s jawgemo on Neon versus T1’s BuZz on Jett. T1 started strong with three consecutive rounds, but G2 responded through babybay. His 3K swung the round, sparking G2’s streak that brought the score to 6-3 in their favor. T1 scraped two more rounds in the half, but G2 maintained their lead to close the half 7-5.
G2’s defensive half showcased their comfort on the map. They won the pistol and anti-eco, and despite T1 winning the full buy to make it 9-6, Pacific’s second seed couldn’t crack G2’s postplant setups. G2 won the next four rounds to close 13-6, claiming the opener. Of G2’s six defensive round wins, five came through successful retakes — a testament to their utility coordination and trading discipline. Jawgemo earned map MVP with 289 ACS, 5 first kills, and 19 kills total.
Image credit: Riot Games
Map 2: Haven — G2 Complete their Historic Comeback
T1 selected Haven, and G2 started on defense running a composition similar to Paper Rex and Vitality — featuring Phoenix, which T1 admitted post-game they were not exactly ready for despite having experience against it.
G2 won the pistol, but T1 stole the anti-eco. G2 managed a thrifty of their own, but T1’s Iso/Yoru composition suited attack perfectly. Their reads proved immaculate as Pacific’s champions won the next nine rounds in a row, establishing a crushing 10-2 lead at halftime. For most teams, 10-2 would spell certain defeat. G2 Esports made the comeback look routine.
After the side swap, Americas’ second seed unleashed one of the tournament’s most dominant half performances. Jawgemo’s Phoenix proved devastating on attack, while trent delivered huge individual plays including a crucial 1v2 clutch. G2 won eight consecutive rounds to tie the score 10-10, then took the lead 11-10, erasing T1’s entire advantage.
Image credit: Riot Games
T1 finally broke through, winning their first round of the half to make it 11-11, then another to reach match point 12-11. G2 refused to fold, forcing overtime at 12-12. The first overtime saw T1 reach match point, but G2 executed a flawless round to tie 13-13. The teams traded rounds through multiple overtime periods, keeping the score close until G2 finally reached match point at 15-14.
Jawgemo found two crucial opening kills, and G2 used the advantage to plant the spike. IZu faced an impossible 1v3 clutch scenario. He couldn’t complete the miracle, and G2 closed 16-14 to qualify for Playoffs while eliminating T1 from Masters Santiago. Trent claimed map MVP with 32 kills, +15 kill differential, and multiple multi-frags including three 3Ks and a 4K. His utility usage created the space jawgemo needed to dominate on Phoenix. Both he and jawgemo had 43 kills each across both maps, tearing apart T1.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, T1 assured everyone post-match that there would be no roster changes. The Bangkok champions remain committed to their current players despite falling short in Santiago.
The matchups have been chosen.
Check out the #VALORANTMasters Santiago Playoffs Bracket! pic.twitter.com/hUcZSIkXox
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) March 4, 2026
VALORANT Masters Santiago Playoffs: First Seeds Choose Opponents
Day five marked a triumphant conclusion to the Swiss Stage for the Americas region. Both NRG and G2 survived elimination scenarios to join FURIA in the eight-team Playoffs bracket, making the Americas the only region with three representatives still alive, compared to two each from EMEA and Pacific, and just one from China.
With the Swiss Stage complete, the eight-team Playoffs bracket formation featured a twist: the four regional first seeds were randomly drawn, then each chose their opponent from the four Swiss Stage qualifiers. The opening playoffs games are:
Nongshim RedForce vs Gentle Mates: Pacific’s unprecedented back-to-back Ascension winners selected EMEA’s second seed. Nongshim’s Dambi-powered aggression meets M8’s marteen-led firepower in a clash of top duelists.
All Gamers vs G2 Esports: China’s sole survivor chose Americas’ second seed. AG’s three rookies making international debuts face G2’s championship experience, a test of whether China’s regional dominance translates globally.
FURIA vs Paper Rex: Americas’ rebuilt first seed selected the yet-undefeated at Santiago PRX. The ultimate underdog story meets the Toronto champions in what promises to be a tempo showcase, with koalanoob continuing his redemption arc versus f0rsakeN’s consistency and flexibility.
BBL Esports vs NRG: EMEA’s first seed received Americas’ third seed by default. Whether BBL can make a splash in their first international game versus the current Champions of Valorant remain to be seen.
The Playoffs and Masters Santiago games resume on March 7th.