Santiago, Chile served as the backdrop for one of VALORANT's most-watched international events of the year. VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 ran from February 28 to March 15, 2026, at Espacio Riesco, bringing together 12 teams from across the globe for a $1,000,000 prize pool under the VALORANT Champions Tour banner, organized by Riot Games.
Grand Final and Playoff Results
Paper Rex (Singapore) and Nongshim RedForce (South Korea) were the last two teams standing, squaring off in the Grand Final. The playoff bracket produced several high-stakes matches that captured massive audiences worldwide.
The most-watched match of the entire tournament was the Lower Bracket Final between Paper Rex and NRG Esports, which peaked at 752,117 concurrent viewers on March 14. That figure also represents the tournament's all-time peak. Other standout matches included:
- PRX vs. FURIA (Playoffs, Day 1): 649,087 peak viewers
- BBL Esports vs. NRG (Playoffs, Day 2): 616,399 peak viewers
- PRX vs. NRG (Swiss Stage, Day 3): 583,064 peak viewers
- G2 Esports vs. PRX (Playoffs, Day 6): 581,424 peak viewers
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The PRX vs. NRG matchup appeared three separate times across the bracket, each generating over 500,000 peak viewers, making it the defining rivalry of Masters Santiago.
Final Standings and Prize Pool Payouts
With $1,000,000 on the line, here is how the prize money was distributed among the top finishers:
Viewership and Broadcast Numbers
The tournament ran for 63 hours and 15 minutes of total airtime and was broadcast across Twitch, YouTube Live, TikTok, SOOP Korea, CHZZK, and Kick. English was the most-watched language across platforms.
By the numbers:
- Peak Viewers: 752,117 (March 14, 2026)
- Hours Watched: 24,857,268
- Average Viewers: 393,001
- Total Players: 96 across 12 teams
The player nationality breakdown shows South Korea leading with 19 players, followed by China with 17, Turkey with 12, the United States with 10, and Brazil with 7.
What Comes Next in the VCT Calendar
Masters Santiago was the first major international LAN of the 2026 VCT season. The circuit continues with VALORANT Masters London 2026, scheduled to run from June 6 to June 21, 2026. Teams that performed well in Santiago will carry momentum into the second Masters event before the season culminates at VALORANT Champions.
Here's the thing: with Paper Rex consistently drawing massive viewership in every match they played, their run through Santiago cements them as one of the most-watched franchises in competitive VALORANT heading into the back half of the year.
Source: Escharts
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where was VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 held?
The tournament took place at Espacio Riesco in Santiago, Chile, running from February 28 to March 15, 2026.
How many teams competed at Masters Santiago 2026?
Twelve teams competed across the Swiss Stage and Playoffs, representing regions including Pacific, Americas, EMEA, and China.
What was the total prize pool for Masters Santiago 2026?
Riot Games set the total prize pool at $1,000,000, distributed across the top finishing teams in the playoff bracket.
Who had the most viewers at Masters Santiago 2026?
The Lower Bracket Final between Paper Rex and NRG Esports peaked at 752,117 concurrent viewers on March 14, making it the most-watched match of the event.
