Cheerleading Review: All Around The World

Though it started as an all-male, extra curriculum activity at Princeton , cheerleading has become an international phenomenon for males and females, and cheerleading competitions continue to captivate audiences – one awesome cheer stunt at a time! Over the years, enthusiasm for cheerleading has spread around the world to countries like Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Today, competitive cheerleading is known as one of the fastest growing sports worldwide. In Canada, which is historically a hockey nation, competitive cheerleading has seen substantial growth in popularity over the past decade, as evident by the rise of school based cheer squads and competitive cheer programs. Likewise, in Asian countries such as Japan, establishments such as the Foundation of Japan Cheerleading Association (FJCA) have been developed, and now host yearly events where teams from all over Asia come together in Tokyo to compete. These competitions have also inspired the growth of school-based squads across the country. Cheerleading has become Australia’s fastest growing sport. Much like the United States, Australia has All-Star cheerleading and competitions dedicated to the promotion and advancement of cheerleading as a well-respected sport. The establishment of international cheer organizations has also facilitated the cultivation of cheer worldwide. The International Federation of Cheerleading (IFC) was established in 1998 and serves to further development of cheerleading worldwide. Additionally, the IFC sponsors a number of international cheerleading competitions, including the Cheerleading World Championships. Similarly, establishments like the United States All-Star Federation (USASF) and the International Cheer Union (ICU) host international cheerleading competitions with participants coming from all over to compete. These international events and competitions hosted by establishments like USASF and ICU have helped cheerleading transcend international borders and allowed teams from around the world to compete and share their love for one of the most competitive and challenging universal sports!