How to Watch the Cheerleading Worlds

Cheerleading is a popular sport that includes elements of dance, gymnastics, stunting and jumps. It's most common in North America and can be performed for competition or just to cheer on your favorite team.

All star teams compete with two and a half minute routines that include tumbling, stunting, pyramids, dance and cheer segments. The routines have become increasingly physically demanding and elaborate over the past few decades.

How to Watch

The Cheerleading Worlds is an annual event that showcases a whopping 9000 cheer and 3500 dance competitors from around the globe. Top teams from across the USASF and IASF member academies compete for a shot at the prestigious crown. A lifetime of training and practice culminates in this illustrious achievement.

The best part is you can watch it all on your TV of choice (see our guide to watching sports online) or on the go with our FloSports app available for both iOS and Android devices. It is also easy to share with friends and family so you don’t miss a moment of the excitement. The big picture is that you’ll enjoy the thrills of watching some of the most talented and awe-inspiring athletes from across the planet in Orlando, Florida. It’s a truly global experience and we’re proud to be a part of it.

We would like to thank the following organizations for sponsoring our Cheerleading Worlds coverage: The United States All Star Federation, the International Cheer Association, and FloSports, the new name in sports media.

Preliminary Rounds

The Cheerleading Worlds is an international championship event held each year by the United States All-Star Federation (USASF) and the International All-Star Federation (IASF). Originally starting in 2004, with only two divisions, it has since expanded to include more than twenty divisions, bringing thousands of cheerleaders and coaches from all over the world to Orlando, Florida.

The competition is a three-day event, consisting of preliminary competition rounds, semi finals, and finals. Each of these rounds are judged by a panel of judges, who are experts in the sport of cheerleading. They evaluate each team’s performances based on difficulty and execution of jumps, standing tumbling, running tumbling, pyramid, basket tosses, dance, performance, and creativity.

During the cheerleading season, teams can compete in different competitions across the country and around the world to earn bids to The Cheerleading Worlds and The Summit. These bids allow teams to compete at both events without having to pay for their own expenses.

Bids are awarded to the top scoring teams at the highest rated and most prestigious cheerleading competitions throughout the entire season. These bids can come in the form of paid, at large, and wild card bids.

A paid bid to The Cheerleading Worlds is the most prestigious and difficult to get. It entitles teams to travel to Orlando, Florida and participate in the Worlds competition with all their costs covered by the event producers. This includes lodging, passes to the Disney Parks, and registration fees.

At large bids to The Cheerleading Worlds are also a good option for some teams who cannot afford to cover their own costs. However, these teams must compete in the preliminary round to gain a place in the event’s competition.

For example, Senior Lov3 from Jacksonville, Florida earned an at-large bid to The Summit in 2020. They then travelled to Orlando to compete in the Summit and were victorious.

Another prestigious bid to The Summit is the full paid bid. This bid entitles teams to travel to Orlando, meet with their coaches, and compete in the Summit.

These full paid bids are only given to the top scoring teams at the highest ranked and most prestigious competitions throughout the season. They are also the most desirable bids available.

As you can see, getting a bid to the Cheerleading Worlds or The Summit is an incredible honor and a dream come true for many cheerleaders. The competitions are a great way to end the season and show off all your hard work!

Semi Finals

A lifetime of training culminates in the most prestigious competition for elite All Star cheerleading teams. Known as the worlds, this three-day event is held each year at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. Typically, it features preliminary rounds, semi finals and the finals for both U.S.-based and international cheer divisions.

Cheerleading Worlds is hosted by the United States All Star Federation (USASF) and the International All Star Federation (IASF). USASF member event producers throughout the world qualify top level 5-7 cheer teams at their premier national championships to compete at The Worlds. The event features 21 divisions, including both senior and international club divisions.

Each team performs a routine consisting of jumps, standing tumbling, running tumbling, pyramid, basket tosses, dance and performance. The judges determine the final score by comparing the difficulty of each move and evaluating the execution of all aspects of the routine. Only the top teams from each round advance to the finals. If you’re interested in watching, you can watch live on FloCheer! The cheerleading worlds will be available on FloCheer beginning April 23rd and run through April 25th.