AG, XLG, EDG to represent China at VALORANT Masters Santiago
All Gamers, Xi Lai Gaming, and EDward Gaming are the three teams qualified for VALORANT Masters Santiago via VCT CN Kickoff.
CHINA – The 2026 VCT CN Kickoff is officially complete after 19 days of action, and China’s Masters Santiago lineup is locked: All Gamers (AG), Xi Lai Gaming (XLG), and EDward Gaming (EDG) will represent the region on the first international stage of the year.
All three punched their tickets by winning the three “finals” in the triple-elimination bracket. All Gamers claimed the region’s #1 seed after a 3-2 win over Xi Lai Gaming. Dropping into the middle bracket, XLG bounced back with another 3-2 victory over Bilibili Gaming to secure their place. That loss sent BLG down to the lower bracket, where they fell 3-1, this time to EDward Gaming, who completed the trio headed to Santiago.
Kickoff also served as the opening chapter of a 2026 VCT CN season built around movement and city-to-city identity. The league is designed as a traveling circuit spanning five different cities, with Shanghai set to act as a sixth destination as the host location for VALORANT Champions. A Radiant Invitational is also planned later in the year as a seventh city stop, though the location has yet to be announced.
While the qualified teams were the headline, one of the most consistent talking points throughout the event was the structure itself. The overall sentiment has been positive, largely because the new triple-elimination format gives teams more space to experiment and recover from mistakes. Wolves Esports coach Hoc Wah “Fayde” Chong shared the same view, saying the format encourages teams to take more risks and lean into their own style without feeling like one bad series ends everything.
No team captured the benefits of that environment more clearly than All Gamers. Their run to the top seed featured wins over Nova Esports, Bilibili Gaming, Dragon Ranger Gaming, and Xi Lai Gaming. For AG, the result is very special because of how quickly their narrative has flipped.
After a full roster overhaul from prior seasons, they have reshaped their image into a legitimate contender, a dramatic turnaround for the same organization that once went more than 390 days without a single win, enduring over a full year of frustration in the VCT CN League. This rebuild has paid off immediately, while still retaining dependable core pieces in Huang “K1ra” Zhihao and Yang “Shr1mp” Yong, giving the roster both stability and a clear backbone to build around.
Around them, AG brought in former academy talent Gao “iamgrq” Ruiqi via Any Questions, promoted Zhu “Au1” Yihao from their academy, and added Russian player Roman “f4ngeer” Smirnov, formerly of Karmine Corp Blue. Xin “Spitfires” Mingyang also pointed to strong scrim results, including regular practice against Pacific’s RRQ, as part of the groundwork that helped this lineup arrive tournament-ready. Now, the underdog story gets its next chapter on the international stage.
Xi Lai Gaming qualified as China’s second seed, and their veteran presence showed in how they handled both AG and BLG across the qualification matches. It took them 10 maps to lock in their spot, but the roster overall is built around dependable names that tend to deliver when series get tense. Arthur “Rarga” Churyumov and Deng “happywei” Minwei remain the reliable backbone, while Liang “Lysoar” Youhao provides a steady veteran presence and consistent domestic output. The team’s energy has often been driven by James “NoMan” Man, and the newest piece, Huang “WsLeo” Pinwei, has taken on major responsibility as in-game leader while also providing stable firepower.
Finally, EDward Gaming return to international play with a new face in the lineup. Former Nova Esports player Wang “cb” Qingchuan will make his global debut with EDG in Santiago, filling a role that fits naturally within their system. EDG’s road to qualification began the hard way, dropping into the lower bracket early after losses to Xi Lai Gaming and Bilibili Gaming, before ripping through four straight wins over JDG Esports, TYLOO, Dragon Ranger Gaming, and Bilibili Gaming to book their Santiago spot.
As the run progressed, EDG looked sharper and more confident, and the closing moments of their final Split map offered a glimpse of the version fans remember from Champions Seoul, with the team’s firepower and coordination peaking at the right time. Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang stood out most with a +28, followed by Wan “CHICHOO” Shunzhi at +8, and the bigger question now is whether EDG can fully rediscover their old form, but with a roster and staff that have lifted international trophies before, they are never a team to count out.
Outside the top three, TYLOO were one of the most notable surprises. With four sharp aimers and a proven mastermind in Li “sword9” Wei, they exceeded expectations for such a young squad. Titan Esports Club also showed real upside, as did JDG Esports in moments.
On the other side, several established CN names looked more vulnerable than expected. FunPlus Phoenix, Wolves Esports, Trace Esports, and even Dragon Ranger Gaming all showed signs of being pushed by the pack. The region no longer feels as top-heavy as it once did during EDward Gaming’s dynasty years. Cracks appeared last season, and Kickoff made it clear those gaps have only grown at the start of 2026.
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