Liquid and T1 eliminated from Masters Santiago, playoffs draw delivers exciting matchups
Team Liquid and T1’s campaigns came to an abrupt end on Day 5 as the VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Masters Santiago 2026 Swiss Stage concluded with NRG and G2 Esports punching their final playoff tickets. Both qualification series ended in decisive 2-0 sweeps, keeping with the tournament's trend of finishing without a third map (Paper Rex vs NRG being the lone exception) and underscoring just how one-sided the final hurdle proved for the eliminated squads.
NRG sweep Liquid as Keiko torches his former team
NRG became the third team to lock in a playoffs spot, dismantling a visibly struggling Team Liquid and highlighting the gulf between reigning World Champions and a regional title holder at best. Liquid never truly found their footing, and NRG methodically closed out the series on Breeze and Abyss with 13-10 and 13-4 scorelines, respectively, slamming the door on any potential decider.
Every member of NRG contributed to the onslaught, but Georgio "Keiko" Sanassy stole the show against his former organization. The British star racked up 43 kills across the two maps and finished the series with a monstrous 1.46 rating, consistently outgunning every opponent in the lobby and setting the tempo for NRG’s aggression.
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_1771594272496.png&w=96&q=75 "NRG")
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G2 break T1’s heart with a miracle Haven comeback
The second qualification match between G2 Esports and T1 came in as the more anticipated series of the day, serving as a fresh chapter in a growing international rivalry that already includes the Masters Bangkok grand final and a Champions 2025 rematch. With a playoffs spot on the line this time, the stakes felt even higher, and both teams came in looking to rewrite the narrative in their favor.
While T1 initially showed promise, they quickly withered under relentless pressure. G2 ruthlessly exploited their mid-round errors on Breeze, cruising to a dominant 13-6 victory. The opening map offered T1 no respite, as Alexander "jawgemo" Mor and Nathan "leaf" Orf operated in lethal harmony—one consistently cracking rounds open while the other flawlessly closed them out.
Haven, however, delivered the undisputed drama of the tournament. T1 suddenly caught fire, pulling off a massive 9-round win streak to secure a commanding 10-2 lead by halftime. A decider map seemed inevitable, but G2 orchestrated an unbelievable display of resilience, all spearheaded by Trent "trent" Cairns. They meticulously chipped away at the massive deficit to drag the game into overtime. And after three agonizing OT rounds, G2 snatched a 16-14 victory, completing the most outrageous comeback of Masters Santiago to eliminate T1 and advance.
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Playoffs draw: top seeds pick their opponents
With NRG and G2 joining Gentle Mates and Paper Rex in the playoffs pool, the four regional top seeds were invited to choose their opening-round opponents. The result is a bracket loaded with storylines right from the quarterfinals.
Nongshim RedForce vs Gentle Mates
Pacific champions Nongshim RedForce were the first to get their pick, and immediately opted for Gentle Mates, setting up a clash between two teams making their first appearance on a Masters stage. Both sides are relative unknown quantities at this level, which should make for a volatile series where prep, nerves, and adaptability could matter more than raw experience.
All Gamers vs G2 Esports
Chinese top seed All Gamers decided to punch above their weight class and chose G2. While All Gamers are in the first-ever international tournament, this G2 pick might be a hint that AG may have prepared something special for this matchup and could be holding pocket strats in reserve for a rainy playoff day.
FURIA vs Paper Rex
Americas top seed FURIA selected Paper Rex, instantly delivering one of the most hyped matchups of the Santiago playoffs. FURIA’s recent surge in form will be tested against the Princes of Pacific, a team renowned for their explosive, chaotic style and incredible LAN pedigree.
BBL Esports vs NRG
That left EMEA champions BBL Esports with NRG, a pairing their coach seemed more than happy with. “I was going to pick NRG anyways,” he remarked. Whether this BBL lineup can fare better than their EMEA counterparts against NRG’s championship-tested core will be one of the key questions of the quarterfinal round.
VALORANT Masters Santiago playoffs day 1 schedule
VALORANT Masters Santiago playoffs day 2 schedule
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