After the conclusion of the VCT Americas Kickoff Lower Final, the 12-team field for Masters Santiago was set, meaning an on-stage draw was held to determine the opening matchups for the event's Swiss Stage.

Masters Santiago was set to take on the same format as the second Masters events of previous years, with an eight-team Swiss Stage between the second and third seeds set to cut the field into four for each region's top seeds.

The rules for the draw were as follows:

  • Four #2 seeds in Pool A
  • Four #3 seeds in Pool B
  • #2 seeds are drawn against #3 seeds, with no regional matchups in the first round.
  • If a regional matchup is drawn, the team will be placed into the next eligible slot.
  • If a regional matchup is still possible by the third #3 seed drawn, the teams will be placed into the only remaining eligible matchup.

The draw was as follows:

The draw brings forward a handful of eye-catching matchups. The new owners of the top two on the VCT best-of-five kills record leaderboard will go head-to-head as marteen and ZmjjKK look set for a crash-course collision. Meanwhile, T1 and Team Liquid will meet for the first time in VCT, as will XLG and NRG. In a matchup that has been seen in four different international events since Masters Shanghai, G2 and PRX will go head-to-head in a matchup of two teams who have never looked more similar in playstyle.

Play in Santiago will begin on February 28 at the Espacio Riesco, with the Swiss Stage running until Mar 4. The playoffs will run from March 6 to March 15, with the four top seeds from each region revving into action against the four survivors of the Swiss Stage.