Gentle Mates took down NRG 13-10 on Haven during the Esports World Cup 2026 quarterfinals on July 9, putting the North American squad one map away from packing their bags. The French organization now leads 1-0 in the best-of-3 series, needing just one more win to advance.
But the scoreline isn’t the only number worth paying attention to here. The tournament’s $75 million overall prize pool and a growing wave of blockchain sponsorships are turning EWC 2026 into a case study for how crypto money flows into competitive gaming.
The match and what it means for the bracket
The roster of starxo, marteen, bipo, Minny, and Proxh executed with the kind of precision that comes from a team hitting its stride at the right moment.
Gentle Mates earned their playoff berth through a group stage that included wins over Xi Lai Gaming among others. For context, Gentle Mates is a relatively young organization. Founded on April 13, 2023, after rebranding from SBG, the French squad has moved quickly from obscurity to competing on stages with prize pools that rival some traditional sporting events.
