VALORANT Skirmish Series: Riot Games Lets Fans Compete at Masters Santiago

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19 February 2026 09:32
TL;DR
- Riot Games has announced the Skirmish Series, a brand new fan competition launching at VALORANT Masters Santiago, where event attendees can compete in 1v1 matches for prizes and a chance to play against influencers and special guests.
- Select days of Masters Santiago will host four 64-player single-elimination qualifying tournaments, with winners earning tickets to the March 14th Final Tournament played on the VCT stage.
- Riot says the format may expand based on interest, and the initiative reflects the company's broader push to deepen community engagement around its flagship esports events.
Riot Games is giving VALORANT fans at Masters Santiago something most esports spectators only dream about: a real shot at competing on the same stage as the world's best players.
The Skirmish Series was announced across VALORANT Esports' social media channels ahead of the Santiago event, and it brings a fresh competitive layer to what is already one of the most anticipated stops on the 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour calendar.
Contents
What Is the VALORANT Skirmish Series?
The Skirmish Series is a new fan-facing competition built around one-versus-one matches. It is designed for event attendees who want to compete for prizes, and potentially share a stage with content creators and special guests.
The format is straightforward. On select days during Masters Santiago, Riot will run four separate single-elimination tournaments, each open to 64 players. These are qualifying events. The player who wins each qualifying bracket walks away with two tickets to the main event on March 14th and earns a spot in the Final Tournament, where the overall Skirmish Series champion will be crowned.
Players who do not win the qualifying rounds are not done either. They get to compete alongside influencers and content creators in a 32-player double-elimination bracket, held on the actual VCT stage after the day's professional matches have wrapped up. Playing on the same surface where the professionals compete carries a different weight entirely.
Riot has not yet named the influencers and content creators who will be participating, so that side of the event still has some mystery to it heading into Santiago.
How the Format Could Change?
One thing worth noting is that Riot has built some flexibility into the structure. The company confirmed that the number of participants could increase depending on how much interest the event generates, and that the format itself may be adjusted to keep things running smoothly for everyone involved.
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More
19 February 2026 09:32
TL;DR
- Riot Games has announced the Skirmish Series, a brand new fan competition launching at VALORANT Masters Santiago, where event attendees can compete in 1v1 matches for prizes and a chance to play against influencers and special guests.
- Select days of Masters Santiago will host four 64-player single-elimination qualifying tournaments, with winners earning tickets to the March 14th Final Tournament played on the VCT stage.
- Riot says the format may expand based on interest, and the initiative reflects the company's broader push to deepen community engagement around its flagship esports events.
Riot Games is giving VALORANT fans at Masters Santiago something most esports spectators only dream about: a real shot at competing on the same stage as the world's best players.
The Skirmish Series was announced across VALORANT Esports' social media channels ahead of the Santiago event, and it brings a fresh competitive layer to what is already one of the most anticipated stops on the 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour calendar.
What Is the VALORANT Skirmish Series?
The Skirmish Series is a new fan-facing competition built around one-versus-one matches. It is designed for event attendees who want to compete for prizes, and potentially share a stage with content creators and special guests.
The format is straightforward. On select days during Masters Santiago, Riot will run four separate single-elimination tournaments, each open to 64 players. These are qualifying events. The player who wins each qualifying bracket walks away with two tickets to the main event on March 14th and earns a spot in the Final Tournament, where the overall Skirmish Series champion will be crowned.
Players who do not win the qualifying rounds are not done either. They get to compete alongside influencers and content creators in a 32-player double-elimination bracket, held on the actual VCT stage after the day's professional matches have wrapped up. Playing on the same surface where the professionals compete carries a different weight entirely.
Riot has not yet named the influencers and content creators who will be participating, so that side of the event still has some mystery to it heading into Santiago.
How the Format Could Change?
One thing worth noting is that Riot has built some flexibility into the structure. The company confirmed that the number of participants could increase depending on how much interest the event generates, and that the format itself may be adjusted to keep things running smoothly for everyone involved.
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Jan 21, 2026
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Jan 14, 2026
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