Who awards Worlds bids
Bids are distributed by USASF-sanctioned partner events across the competition season — major nationals like NCA All-Star Nationals, CHEERSPORT Nationals, UCA International All-Star Championship, The U.S. Finals, JAMfest Cheer Super Nationals, and Spirit Sports, among many others. Each bid event receives an allocation of bids to award, announced at the event’s “bid reveal” during awards. Bids belong to teams, not individual athletes, and are tied to the team’s division and level.
The three bid types
- Full paid bid — the most valuable: the awarding event covers a fixed amount toward the team’s championship costs. Exact coverage varies by event and year.
- Partial paid bid — covers a portion of championship costs; real money toward the trip, less than a full paid.
- At-large bid — an invitation with no financial coverage; the team pays its own way. The most common bid type.
Which teams are eligible
Only teams competing in Worlds divisions — Level 6, Level 7, and the International Open divisions — can earn Worlds bids. Teams in Levels 1–5 chase a different postseason: The Summit. A separate, parallel path also exists in the Open Championship Series ecosystem, whose flagship Allstar World Championship awards its own bids at OCS-sanctioned qualifiers.
More questions, answered
Can a team go to Worlds without a bid?
No — The Cheerleading Worlds is bid-only. A team must earn its invitation at a sanctioned bid-awarding event during the season.
Who runs The Cheerleading Worlds?
The Cheerleading Worlds is held under IASF/USASF governance and operated with Varsity Spirit, each spring at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Florida.
What is the difference between a paid bid and an at-large bid?
A paid bid (full or partial) comes with money toward championship costs. An at-large bid is an invitation only — the team covers all of its own expenses.
Do individual athletes earn Worlds bids?
No. Bids are awarded to a team in a specific division and level; the team’s roster competes on the bid.
Can a team earn multiple bids in one season?
Yes — teams often earn more than one bid across the season and can typically pursue an upgrade, for example from at-large to paid, without declining what they already hold.
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