All Gamers, XLG, and EDG qualify for Masters Santiago

The road to VCT 2026 - Masters Santiago 2026 has officially begun, and just like every time, VCT CN was the first region to cross the finish line of the VCT 2026 - China Kickoff. The tournament delivered a series of massive upsets and thrilling storylines, locking in the first three teams ready to take on the international stage.

All Gamers

Emerging from the Upper Bracket is perhaps the biggest surprise of the entire season so far. All Gamers pulled off a near-miraculous run, dismantling established teams like Bilibili Gaming and Dragon Ranger Gaming. They capped off their streak by defeating Xi Lai Gaming in the finals to secure their ticket to Santiago.

This victory marks AG's best-ever result in the league, having previously peaked at 5th-6th place finishes. While this is a historic high for the organization, they are entering uncharted waters. This will be their international debut, a milestone that history shows can be daunting for newcomers.

Xi Lai Gaming Esports

Coming out of the Middle Bracket are the former VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - China Stage 1 winners, Xi Lai Gaming. They have looked like solid contenders for quite some time, losing only a single match throughout the Kickoff-the Upper Bracket final against All Gamers. However, they bounced back immediately in the Middle Bracket finals with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over BLG.

This isn't XLG's first rodeo on the global stage. Having secured the second seed, they will be looking to leave a much more indelible mark in Santiago than they have in previous international outings.

EDward Gaming

Finally, the Lower Bracket produced the most popular team in the region: EDward Gaming. While seeing the former World Champions fight for survival in the lower bracket might shock casual fans, it reflects a shift in the local power dynamic, that their era of total dominance has passed.

After being relegated by BLG, EDG mounted a spectacular lower bracket run, eliminating JD Gaming, TYLOO and DRG before exacting revenge on BLG to take the final spot. The 2024 Champions winners have now qualified for almost every international event since Champions 2022 (missing only Masters Shanghai). Though they haven't been able to replicate their peak success, counting out EDG remains a dangerous mistake.

With the first three teams going to Masters Santiago confirmed, China has given us a unique blend of teams to send on this expedition. The world now turns to the rest of the regions to see what kind of competition they can expect in Chile.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image Source: Riot Games