Paper Rex has become the first team to secure a playoff spot at Valorant Masters Santiago 2026, storming through the Swiss Stage with an undefeated record . The Pacific third seed opened their campaign by sweeping G2 Esports before delivering a heartbreaking elimination to reigning Champions winners NRG in a three-map classic .
Filipino star Adrian “invy” Reyes was the hero of the series, posting an incredible 60-38-21 KDA with a 245 average combat score to earn MVP honors . His Ace against NRG on Split turned the momentum and sent the Southeast Asian squad one step closer to the title .
Here’s everything you need to know from the latest Masters Santiago action.
Paper Rex’s Dominant Run to Playoffs
Paper Rex’s path to the playoffs began with a statement victory over VCT Americas’ G2 Esports. The Filipino-Singaporean squad swept G2 with dominant 13-9 and 13-5 wins on Split and Corrode, immediately establishing themselves as a serious contender .
Masters Santiago Swiss Stage Results
| Match | Result | Maps |
|---|---|---|
| PRX vs G2 | 2-0 PRX | Split (13-9), Corrode (13-5) |
| PRX vs NRG | 2-1 PRX | Split (13-10), Pearl (10-13), Haven (13-9) |
| EDG vs T1 | March 3 | Upcoming |
| XLG vs G2 | March 3 | Upcoming |
Against NRG, Paper Rex dropped the first three rounds of Split but turned the tide to take an 8-4 halftime lead. invy’s Ace against the North American team electrified the arena, and PRX closed the map 13-10. NRG answered on Pearl with a 13-10 win of their own, forcing a decider on Haven .
On Haven, Paper Rex built an 8-4 lead and reached match point, only for NRG to win four straight rounds and tie the score. But Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto refused to let the series slip away, securing a clutch Ace to close out the map 13-9 and send PRX to the playoffs .
Bracket Controversy and Redraw Drama
Masters Santiago wasn’t without controversy. On March 1, Riot was forced to cancel and redo the entire Swiss Stage Round 2 draw after a live broadcast error invalidated every matchup .
The mistake occurred when the second team’s pull was dropped into the wrong slot on stage, derailing the entire process. Leo Faria, Global Head of VALORANT Esports, confirmed the error on X, admitting that every subsequent matchup shown on stream was incorrect .
Teams had already spent hours preparing for their supposed opponents before learning the draw was compromised. Paper Rex assistant coach Ashton Wendler voiced frustration: “This is too late Leo to make this call. Yeah its a mistake, but this is a BIG jump this late when we literally prep tomorrow” .
Faria responded: “It is, but it’s the right thing to do. We can’t move forward with the tournament knowing the match ups are wrong” . Riot brought all affected teams together at their hotel and reran the entire draw in front of coaches, recording the process for transparency .
The corrected bracket set PRX vs NRG and M8 vs Team Liquid for March 2, with EDward Gaming vs T1 and XLG vs G2 Esports scheduled for March 3 .
Playoff Picture and Championship Points
With Paper Rex through, the remaining playoff spots will be decided in the coming days. Nongshim RedForce, the Pacific region’s top seed, has already advanced directly to the playoffs after an undefeated Kickoff run .
The stakes are massive. Masters Santiago awards crucial Championship Points toward qualification for Champions Shanghai in September :
| Placement | Championship Points |
|---|---|
| 1st Place | 6 points |
| 2nd Place | 4 points |
| 3rd-4th | 3-2 points |
| 5th-6th | 1 point each |
Pacific teams have dominated recent internationals—Gen.G won Masters Shanghai, and T1 claimed Masters Bangkok. Paper Rex now has a chance to extend that streak and secure valuable points for the world championship race .
