CHEERLEADING’S WORLD GAMES JOURNEY CONTINUES

Premier confirmed for Karlsruhe 2029 as cheerleading continues to grow on

the international stage

Cheerleading will return to The World Games in 2029 with Premier confirmed as

the sole cheerleading discipline on the official sports program for Karlsruhe,

Germany. (The World Games)

The announcement is another exciting moment for cheerleading, as the sport

continues to gain recognition and find its place within major international multisport events.

The World Games 2029 will be held from 19 to 29 July 2029, bringing together

around 4,000 athletes from more than 100 countries across 36 sports and 62

disciplines. (The World Games)

Cheerleading’s growing presence on the multisport stage was highlighted at The

World Games in Chengdu in 2025, where Australian athletes Emily Growdon and

Shayla Myerscough made history as the first Australians to compete in cheerleading at the event. The pair went on to win bronze in Pom Doubles. Their

achievement follows cheerleading’s inclusion within the Federation of International University Sports (FISU) since 2018, further demonstrating the sport’s growing place within the international multisport movement.

Australian Head of Cheer Steven Walters said it was great to see cheerleading

continuing to build its presence on major sporting stages:

“It’s great to see cheerleading back at The World Games and continuing to be part of these major multisport events.”

“Having Premier confirmed for Karlsruhe is another really positive step forward for the sport.”

Australian Cheer Union High Performance Director Ali Cole said the

announcement was an encouraging sign for the future of cheerleading:

“Hopefully this is just the beginning of bigger things to come for cheerleading, both internationally and here in Australia.”

“We’ve got three years to keep raising the bar in Australia, build the skills and depth of our athletes, and see what we can achieve on that stage.”

With Premier now confirmed for Karlsruhe, Australian cheerleading has a clear

opportunity to continue developing the athletes, coaches and high-performance

environment needed to compete at the highest level.

President of the Australian Cheer Union, Edward Miles, said:

“As we continue to professionalise cheerleading here in Australia, opportunities like this are critical to building a stronger and more sustainable high-performance pathway.”

“The ACU is focused on creating the right environment for our athletes and coaches to succeed, both here in Australia and on the international stage.”

The focus now returns to the Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur this October,

while planning is already underway for the 2027 ICU World Championships in

Orlando, Florida, next April.