Information current as of May 2026. Bid rules, dollar amounts, and deadlines change yearly — always confirm with the official event producer. Cheer Collective is not affiliated with Varsity Brands, USASF, OCS, or any event producer mentioned.
Cheer Collective
Understanding Bids
The bid system is the most consequential — and most confusing — part of competitive cheer. This is the plain-English reference: what a bid is, the championships bids lead to, the four bid types, and how a team actually earns one. We cover both the USASF/Varsity and OCS ecosystems neutrally.
See the live Road to Worlds & Summit Track which competitions award bids this season and which teams have earned them.What a bid actually is
In competitive all-star cheer, a bid is an earned invitation for a team to compete at one of the sport’s major end-of-season championships. You can’t simply enter these events — a team qualifies by competing at a sanctioned bid-awarding event during the season and earning its place. Bids are awarded to teams, not individual athletes, and they’re tied to the team’s division and level. Two championship ecosystems exist today — the USASF/Varsity world (The Cheerleading Worlds and The Summit) and the Open Championship Series (the Allstar World Championship) — and both are legitimate paths.
The championships bids lead to
The Cheerleading Worlds
Level 6 · Level 7 · International Open / Global
The sport’s top championship, for the highest levels. Held each spring at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Bids are awarded by USASF-sanctioned partner events across the season.
The Summit (+ D2 & Youth Summit)
Levels 1–5 all-star teams
The end-of-season postseason most competitive teams aim for. D2 Summit serves smaller (Division II) gyms and Youth Summit serves younger divisions. Bids come from Summit bid events all season and from a season-long at-large leaderboard.
Allstar World Championship
Open Championship Series (OCS)
The OCS ecosystem’s flagship championship, also held in Orlando. Bids are earned at OCS-sanctioned qualifier events across the country and internationally — a separate but legitimate path from the USASF world.
The four bid types
The most-searched topic in the sport. Four bid types, each meaning something different for a team’s costs and competitive path.
Full Paid Bid
Most valuableThe event covers a fixed amount toward the team’s championship costs — entry and/or travel. The most valuable bid a team can earn. Exact amounts vary by event and year, so always confirm with the producer.
Partial Paid Bid
Some coverageCovers a portion of championship costs — less than a full paid bid, but real money toward the trip. Common at events with strong fields where paid coverage is split across more teams.
At-Large Bid
Most commonAn invitation to compete with no financial coverage — the team pays its own way. The most common bid. For The Summit, at-large bids are often earned via a cumulative season leaderboard of top scores by division.
Wildcard Bid
Summit entry pointA Summit-specific, entry-level bid. Wildcard teams compete in an additional wildcard round for the chance to advance into the main event — the accessible on-ramp to the championship.
Where bids are awarded
For Worlds and The Summit (the USASF/Varsity ecosystem), bids come from sanctioned partner events. The best known include 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. For the Allstar World Championship, bids come from OCS-sanctioned qualifier events held nationwide and internationally.
Not every event offers the same bids or the same number — “bid depth” varies by event and division. On The Cheer Collective, bid-awarding events are flagged so you can plan a season around them.
How a team earns a bid
- 1Register and compete at a bid-awarding event in your team’s exact division and level.
- 2Place and score well enough — each event announces which teams receive which bids at the awards “bid reveal.”
- 3For The Summit, at-large bids are also awarded via a season-long leaderboard: the top scores by division across all Summit bid events earn a bid even without winning one outright at a single event.
- 4Meet eligibility — proper USASF (or OCS) membership for athletes and coaches, the correct division and level, and any credentialing the event requires.
Once earned, a team has a window to accept a bid — and can typically hold one while pursuing an upgrade (for example, at-large to paid) without having to decline. See how all-star routines are scored and the scoring glossary for the terms behind a bid-night sheet.
See bids on The Cheer Collective
Every gym profile shows the bids that program has earned in its “At a Glance” and Championships sections. Competitions flag whether they award bids, and our rankings weigh bids alongside scores.
Frequently asked questions
Can a team compete at Worlds or The Summit without a bid?
Generally no. These championships are bid-only — a team must earn an invitation at a sanctioned bid-awarding event (or, for Summit at-large bids, through the season-long leaderboard).
Do individual athletes earn bids?
No. Bids are awarded to a team in a specific division and level. The roster competes on the bid the team earned.
What is the difference between an at-large bid and a paid bid?
A paid bid comes with money toward championship costs (full or partial). An at-large bid is an invitation only — the team covers its own expenses.
Can one team earn more than one bid in a season?
Yes. Teams often earn multiple bids across the season, then choose which to accept — sometimes upgrading from an at-large bid to a paid bid without having to decline.
Where can I see which competitions award bids?
Bid-awarding events are flagged on our competitions pages, and our live bid tracker follows the season. Each gym profile also shows the bids that program has earned.
Your team earned a bid?
Commemorate it with custom team banners, “Bound for Worlds” athlete shirts, parent tees and competition-ready bows — handcrafted by Kara in your exact team colors.