The Allstar World Championship has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest cheerleading competition, with 33,061 verified participants competing during the 2026 championship in Orlando.
Produced by The Open Championship Series, the event was held April 16–19 at the Orange County Convention Center. Athletes and coaches from the United States and international programs competed throughout the four-day championship.
The record was verified on site by Guinness World Records adjudicator Thomas Bradford, who confirmed the final participant count and presented the Open Championship Series with an official certificate.
“This record doesn’t belong to any one organization, it belongs to every athlete who stepped on the floor and every coach who got them there,” said David Owens of the Open Championship Series. “We build these events for them. Watching these athletes and coaches come together year after year and become part of Guinness World Records history is the proudest moment our series has had.”
The 33,061 participants qualified for the championship through Open Championship Series events held throughout the season. The series is an independent coalition of event producers that provides teams with opportunities to earn bids to the Allstar World Championship.
The record also reflects the continued growth of the championship and the scale required to host tens of thousands of competitors within one venue over four days.
The Open Championship Series credited the Orange County Convention Center and Visit Orlando for their support in hosting the competition and completing the record verification process.
Athletes, coaches and gyms that participated in the championship will have the opportunity to order personalized Guinness World Records Record Participant Certificates recognizing their involvement.
The Allstar World Championship serves as the end-of-season championship for the Open Championship Series, bringing All Star cheer and dance teams to Orlando each spring.
For the 33,061 participants who competed in 2026, the championship is now more than the final event of their season. Their participation is part of an official Guinness World Records achievement.
