The 9INE and Gentle Mates teams are set to clash in the Lower Bracket Round 1 Match 2 of the Stake Ranked Episode 1 2026 on April 2, 2026.
This elimination match is critical for both squads as they navigate the tournament held in Barcelona, Spain. 9INE secured their spot in the Stake Ranked Episode 1 2026 by defeating FOKUS in the qualifiers.
Historically, Gentle Mates have shown dominance in head-to-head encounters. Across four previous CS2 matches, Gentle Mates emerged victorious in all of them, holding an 8-2 map record against 9INE. Their last encounter was at the IEM Rio 2026 Closed Qualifier.