Nongshim RedForce turned VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 into a tournament to remember, pulling off a shock championship run that few saw coming and toppling more established contenders along the way. Far from being counted among the top five favorites before the event, the Korean squad emerged as the biggest story of the season’s first Masters tournament. In this 1xBet review, we look back at how the tournament unfolded, from the early upsets to a dominant grand final and a deserved MVP honor for Dambi.
The VALORANT competitive calendar remains one of the most demanding in esports, with three splits spread across four regional leagues, two Masters tournaments, and one World Cup. International qualification depends heavily on regional split results, making every placement critical for teams aiming to build momentum and stay in contention on the global stage.
Held in Santiago, Chile from February 28 to March 15, VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 brought together 12 of the world’s top teams and featured a total prize pool of $1 million. The tournament opened with a Swiss-format stage involving eight second- and third-seeded teams from the first regional Kickoff split, with only the best advancing to the playoffs.
The Swiss stage quickly delivered surprises. Gentle Mates and Paper Rex were the first to make a statement, each posting flawless 2-0 records to secure early playoff berths. NRG and G2 Esports, both representing the Americas, followed with solid 2-1 finishes to join them in the knockout stage.
But the biggest shock came from the early collapse of EDward Gaming. The VALORANT Champions 2024 winners entered Santiago as the tournament’s biggest favorites, only to crash out after losing both of their matches. XLG Esports also bowed out early, while T1 and Team Liquid disappointed fans after failing to survive their elimination matches and ending their campaigns with 1-2 records.
The playoff stage introduced the four regional champions — FURIA, All Gamers, BBL Esports, and Nongshim RedForce — setting the stage for a high-stakes battle among the best teams from each league. The Americas had the largest presence in the final phase with three teams, while Pacific and EMEA each fielded two. China, meanwhile, was represented only by All Gamers.
Even with their top billing, FURIA were the first to fall, losing both of their playoff matches by identical 1-2 scores. Gentle Mates, who had looked so sharp in the group stage, also exited earlier than expected. All Gamers and BBL Esports followed, leaving NRG and G2 Esports to finish in third and fourth place, respectively — a result that reflected the consistency they had already shown in the Swiss stage.
That cleared the way for an all-Pacific showdown in the race for the title. Paper Rex entered that clash with far more pedigree and attention, thanks to a history of regional success that included three split titles and the VALORANT Masters Toronto 2025 crown. The roster still featured long-time stars Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto of Indonesia and Khalish “d4v41” Rusyaidee of Malaysia, two of the most recognizable names in the scene.
Nongshim RedForce, by contrast, came into Santiago with far less international prestige. The team had only qualified for VCT Pacific in 2025 and 2026 through the Ascension route, and its main achievement before this run was winning the VCT 2026: Pacific Kickoff. But what it lacked in reputation, it more than made up for with discipline, balance, and confidence under pressure.
Their route to the final was nearly flawless. Nongshim RedForce stayed unbeaten throughout the tournament, taking down Gentle Mates 2-0, G2 Esports 2-1, and NRG 2-0. Paper Rex had a much tougher road. After edging FURIA 2-1 in their opening playoff match, they were swept 0-2 by NRG and sent to the lower bracket. From there, they battled their way back with wins over All Gamers, G2 Esports, and NRG to earn one more shot at the title.
The grand final was the first-ever meeting between Nongshim RedForce and Paper Rex despite both teams competing in the same league. What followed was not the tense five-map thriller many expected, but a commanding performance from the eventual champions.
The series opened on Corrode, chosen by Nongshim RedForce. Paper Rex looked in control early and built an 8-4 lead, but everything changed after the side switch. Nongshim RedForce came alive, outplaying their opponents 9-3 in the second half to complete a comeback and steal the first map, 13-11.
That momentum carried straight into Split, Paper Rex’s map pick. Nongshim RedForce dictated the pace from the outset, raced to a 9-3 defensive half, then quickly closed it out 13-4 with a sharp attack side that left no room for resistance.
There was no recovery for Paper Rex on Abyss. Nongshim RedForce finished the job in ruthless fashion, giving up just three rounds en route to a 13-3 win and a 3-0 sweep in the grand final. It was a statement victory, not only because of the scoreline but because of how convincingly the Korean side dismantled one of the game’s most respected teams.
On the third map, Jung “Xross” Hwan delivered one of the most explosive performances of the tournament, posting an ACS of 359, ADR of 245, and a KDA line of 21/5/5. Across the entire final, he racked up 60 kills and an ACS of 277. Still, the tournament’s MVP award went to Lee “Dambi” Hyuk-kyu, whose influence across Nongshim RedForce’s title run proved too important to ignore.
A closer look at Nongshim RedForce’s numbers shows why the team succeeded where others faltered. Every player contributed, and no one dropped off when the pressure peaked. That balance became the team’s greatest weapon. According to 1xBet esports experts, that consistency was the key factor behind Nongshim RedForce’s first major breakthrough on the international VALORANT stage.