For thirty years, NCA All Star Nationals in Dallas has been the heartbeat of All Star cheerleading, a proving ground where athletes push the limits of their skills, teams solidify their legacies, and fans witness moments that define the sport. Year after year, competitors enter the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center knowing they are about to experience something unlike any other event in cheerleading. The energy in the building is unmistakable, with thousands of spectators moving to the same eight-count, collectively holding their breath for every pyramid, every pass, and every zero deduction routine.
The 2025 event is set to break records, with 1,750 teams registered, continuing the rapid growth of NCA All Star Nationals. The event is set to become the largest cheer competition in the world, with participation increasing each year. In 2024, NCA hosted 1,564 teams, up from 1,405 teams in 2023, proving its continued expansion and dominance in the cheerleading world. However, in 2024, the Allstar World Championship in Orlando, FL, produced by the Open Championship group, took the title as the largest cheerleading competition with just over 1,600 teams participating. This clear sign of growth in the All Star community shows that the sport is thriving on multiple stages. Over 30,000 athletes are set to compete, making it the largest NCA All Star Nationals to date. This milestone further cements NCA All Star Nationals as one of the premier stages of the sport.
But the 2025 NCA All Star Nationals will be the last in Dallas—at least for now. Due to renovations at the convention center, the competition will relocate to Houston from 2026 through 2028 before returning to Dallas in 2029. However, as the event moves to Houston, Varsity leadership has promised a bigger and better experience at the Toyota Center. With state-of-the-art facilities, expanded production capabilities, and an opportunity to elevate the fan experience, Houston is set to take NCA All Star Nationals to new heights from 2026 to 2028. The competition will continue to grow, offering athletes and fans a fresh perspective while keeping the core traditions of NCA alive. Dallas will welcome the event back in 2029, and by 2030, expectations are high for a new, world-class arena designed to elevate the competition to even greater levels. The move to Houston marks a new phase for the event, bringing fresh opportunities while preserving its rich tradition.
For years, one of the most persistent superstitions in All Star cheerleading was the Large Senior Curse—a belief that any Large Senior 6 team that won NCA Nationals would not go on to win The Cheerleading Worlds in the same season. What started as a coincidence turned into a streak that lasted from 2006 to 2018, as powerhouse teams consistently fell short of breaking it. The pressure of winning both titles seemed cursed, adding to the legendary status of NCA Nationals as a competition that could define, but not predict, a team’s season.
That all changed in 2018 when Cheer Athletics Panthers delivered a flawless performance at NCA Nationals, winning the championship. As they took the floor at Worlds, the excitement built, and after a zero-deduction Day 2 routine, fans in the arena erupted into chants of ‘break the curse.’ When second place was announced and it wasn’t Panthers, the streak had finally ended. This unforgettable moment remains a highlight in NCA and Worlds history, reinforcing the prestige and pressure that comes with competing in this arena and hitting at Worlds.
Competing in the NCA Arena offers an experience that few other venues can match. The deafening counts of 10,000 fans, the spotlight capturing every movement, and the anticipation hanging in the air before each routine create an atmosphere that fuels legendary performances.
For as long as anyone can remember, the NCA team has proven year after year that they are capable of handling anything thrown their way when it comes to elite production for cheerleading, under the leadership of Justin Carrier. From orchestrating a one-of-a-kind production for performances to ensuring that every aspect of the competition runs flawlessly, NCA has continually raised the bar, setting the gold standard for event execution in the sport.
