Team, Athlete & Coach Eligibility Requirements
Team, Athlete & Coach Eligibility Requirements
Team Eligibility Requirements
USASF Teams
• must represent a USASF member club;
• must be comprised of USASF athlete members;
• must be accompanied by an eligible USASF member coach with required credentials— see next page; and
• may not compete in the same division at The Cheerleading Worlds and also at a 2026 end-of-season, multi-brand event.
Athlete Eligibility Requirements
USASF Teams
• Athletes must be current members of the USASF and listed on the official Worlds roster.
• Athletes must be U. S. residents or legal student residents. For athletes who are not U. S. citizens, coaches must provide documentation of legal residency upon request. For inquiries, contact compliance @ usasf. net.
• Athletes must be accompanied by an eligible USASF coach with applicable level credentialing to enter the Worlds warm-up rooms.
• Athletes are not permitted to compete in the same division at The Cheerleading Worlds and at a 2026 end-of-season, multi-brand event.
• Adult athletes( those who are 18 years and older before June 1, 2025) must have a current background screening with a no-alert determination and abuse prevention education. Exceptional athletes are excluded from this requirement.
• Athlete must understand that they are representatives of the event producer that awarded the team’ s bid to The Cheerleading Worlds and agree to act with complete respect, sportsmanship and graciousness at all times while representing the USASF event producer from whom they received a bid to The Cheerleading Worlds.
Coach Eligibility Requirements
USASF Teams
• Coaches must be current USASF members and in good standing with the USASF.
• Coaches must meet eligibility requirements for membership through their USASF member profile.
• Coaches must be credentialed in either building, tumbling or both up to the level at which their team competed at the bid-qualifying event and will compete at The Cheerleading Worlds.
• Coaches may not send the same team to compete in the same division at both The Cheerleading Worlds and a 2026 end-of-season, multi-brand event.
• Non-coaching club owners may enter the warm-up area with their team if they meet USASF membership eligibility requirements and are accompanied by a coach who meets the above credentialing and membership eligibility requirements as shown below.
• Coaches must understand that they are representatives of the event producer that awarded the team’ s bid to The Cheerleading Worlds and agree to act with complete respect, sportsmanship and graciousness at all times while representing the USASF event producer from whom they received a bid to The Cheerleading Worlds.
Club Release Waiver
USASF Teams
Any USASF athlete who has taken the floor with an exhibition or competition team at any level from a( primary) club during the Worlds competition season( Nov. 1, 2025 – April 22, 2026), must have a USASF Club Release Waiver signed by the owner of the primary club to be eligible to compete with a different( secondary) club at The 2026 Cheerleading Worlds. The USASF Club Release Waiver is found at TheCheerleadingWorlds. net.
1. This form must be uploaded on the Roster Verification Form prior to your roster verification appointment. 2. Once verified by a Worlds official, the roster will be locked and considered your official Worlds roster and will be used during the athlete ID check prior to your team entering the warm-up room. 3. Changes made after roster verification must be reported to and verified by a Worlds official.
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