G2 Esports vs Paper Rex Prediction on March 1, 2026

Match info

The clash between G2 Esports and Paper Rex isn’t just another match — it’s the opening encounter of the Swiss Stage at the first major international event of the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour. Coming off regional Kickoff events, VALORANT Masters Santiago brings together the top 12 teams from four regions (Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China) to compete for a share of a $1 million USD prize pool and valuable Championship Points that influence qualification for VALORANT Champions in Shanghai later in the year.

Because this is a Swiss-format Round 1, an early win is huge: two wins in the Swiss Stage boost a team into the playoffs, while two losses can eliminate them. That raises the stakes in every best-of-three series — and makes “upsets” especially costly early on. Also, for anyone looking into the best online eSports betting sites, matches at this level tend to draw sharp action and often have competitive odds.

When:

Sunday, March 1, 2026
17:00 CLST (Chile Standard Time) — this is the local time at the venue in Santiago, Chile.

Where:

Espacio Riesco is a major convention and eSports venue in Chile’s capital city. This event marks the first time VALORANT Masters is held in Chile, with matches played in front of a live audience.

Meeting statistics

Current form and & playstyle: G2 Esports

The German side comes into this tournament as one of the most dynamic and adaptable Western teams. Their recent form shows a mix of strong wins and valuable resilience — they’ve taken four of their last five competitive series, demonstrating that when their strategic reads click, they can overwhelm opponents with swift executions and coordinated mid-round adaptations.

G2’s style often blends aggressive map control with flexible agent lineups, making it tricky for slower teams to predict their pacing.

Current form & race style: Paper Rex

By contrast, Paper Rex have built their reputation on high-octane aggression and mechanical excellence in the Pacific region.

Known for quick peeks, fast coordinated pushes, and clutch plays from stars like Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto and Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie, the team from Singapore thrives in chaotic engagements where sharp aim can win rounds outright. They’ve also been solid in execution certainty, even in losses, thanks to set plays and strong individual performances. Their recent form reflects that consistency, with four wins in five outings, just as G2 have.

Head-to-head

These two teams have met six times, with Paper Rex holding the edge (4–2). Their last encounter, in late December 2025, saw Paper Rex win 2–1, indicating they match up well against G2’s style.

Match analytics

This one is tight — but most community projections lean slightly in favor of G2 Esports due to roster depth and recent consistency. On prediction platforms, around 70–75% of voters expect a G2 win, with Paper Rex at 25–30%. So, G2 Esports to win is the best choice if you want a straightforward bet based on current form and stats. Paper Rex +1.5 maps is an alternative hedge if the odds for a straight upset are long; Paper Rex winning a map is very realistic given their aggressive style and head-to-head competitiveness.

Tip: Map handicap – Paper Rex (+1.5); Check odds on FezBet.

Note: This online bookmaker offers extensive VALORANT markets; however, they haven’t released bets for VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 yet.