What Is Nationals in Cheerleading?

Quick answer: "Nationals" generally refers to a major national-level championship event, bringing together top teams from across a single country - a step below international events like Worlds or Summit in scope, though often just as significant a season goal for many teams.

What the Term Generally Refers To

Rather than one single event, "Nationals" is used broadly across cheer to describe a country's top championship competition - different governing bodies and competition providers each typically run their own version, similar to how many sports hold separate national and international championships.

How Teams Typically Get There

Depending on the provider, a Nationals event may be entered directly or reached by earning a bid at earlier qualifying competitions, similar to how teams reach international events.

Why We Keep This General

Because "Nationals" describes a category of event rather than one single competition, exactly which event a team is working toward, and its specific rules, depends entirely on their governing body and competition provider. This page explains the general concept - check with your gym or governing body for the specific Nationals event relevant to your team.

Where Nationals Fits in a Season

For many teams, particularly those not aiming for international events, Nationals represents the top of their season's competitive calendar - a major, high-stakes goal in its own right.

Related Terms

See Worlds and Summit for international-level events, and Bid for how qualification often works.