Encore Championships is back in action with a nine-event schedule for the 2025-2026 season, which kicked off in Georgia just before Thanksgiving.

Now, after a short break, it’s time for the slate to continue with two events each month through March.

Up first is the 2025 Encore Grand Nationals in Houston, set for Dec. 12-14. Over the same weekend (Dec. 13-14), the Encore Philly Showdown hits the East Coast.

Encore Grand Nationals definitely will be grand, welcoming All Star cheer AND dance teams back to the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Oh, and all of the action will be broadcast live on Varsity TV!

As one of the competitive cheer and dance brands under the Varsity All Star umbrella, Encore puts on one- and two-day competitions across the country. 

Along with Houston and Philadelphia, Encore Championships will be bringing events to Louisville, Kentucky (x 2); Nashville, Tennessee; Mashantucket, Connecticut; Las Vegas; and Daly City, California, during the 2025-2026 campaign. 

Encore events are known for their signature red carpets, top-notch competition, high-level production and over-the-top award ceremonies. 

The dance portion of the 2025 Encore Grand Nationals again will be powered by The Groove Experience, bring an elevated production experience, along with dance-only judges. All Groove events award bids to The Dance Summit and USASF Dance Worlds, so there’s a lot on the line!

Enjoy complete coverage of the event, as standout teams from Division I and Division II go head-to-head with their sights set on obtaining points to The Varsity Cheer League and a bid to one of the prestigious end-of-season championships!

• Who: All Star Cheer & Dance Teams
• When: Dec. 12-14, 2025 
• Where: George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston
• Watch: LIVE on Varsity TV
• Rebroadcast: Watch HERE
• The Varsity Cheer League: 600 Points Up For Grabs

What To Know About The George R. Brown Convention Center

By now, the George R. Brown Convention Center is familiar territory for the cheer and dance teams, so they’ll be able to focus more on the competition than finding their way around the venue and the city of Houston. 

The convention resides on the east side of downtown Houston and has been open since 1987, while a pair of expansions in 2001 and 2004 have added a 1,200-room hotel, three exhibit halls and meeting rooms.

With all the additions, which were completed in time for Super Bowl XXXVIII (Feb. 1, 2004), there’s now more than 1.8 million square feet of space. Check out the layout here.

There’s more on the horizon, with the newest phase already a decade into its plans and progress.

Additional information: Images | Parking & Directions | FAQ 

Things To Do In Houston

Truth be told, Houston is a metropolis, but that shouldn’t be intimidating.

A major airport and plenty of highways will make getting into the area as convenient as possible, and since it’s the largest city in Texas, visitors won’t be searching for things to do or amazing places to dine. 

Since the 2025 Encore Grand Nationals is being held so close to the heart of Houston, this information that’s specific to the downtown area should be a great help. 

If there’s time to venture out, Houston offers countless ways to occupy a day or two, including sporting events, museums, galleries, outdoor spaces, rodeos, shopping, breweries, great food and so much history. 

To learn more about Houston and to begin making plans, here’s a helpful site with all the details and suggestions.

The information doesn’t stop there, though! Here is a list of more things to do – and a guide to some of the more than 10,000 restaurants that offer Texans and visitors the chance to choose almost anything or experience their favorite things with a Texas twist.

For sports fans heading to Houston, the NFL’s Houston Texans will be hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 14 at noon Central. 

If football isn’t your thing, here’s a full event calendar, so you can search for something you wouldn’t want to miss.

Need a car to get around Houston? Visit Avis!

How To Watch The 2025 Encore Grand Nationals

The 2025 Encore Grand Nationals will stream LIVE on Varsity TV.

If you’re going to be in the Houston area and want to see the event in person, tickets can be purchased here.

Missed the Action? Watch The Rebroadcast

The rebroadcast will stream on Varsity TV on a delay of 24 hours.

Relive The Action With Varsity TV 24/7 Network

Whether you're a die-hard fan, a coach or an athlete, Varsity TV 24/7 Network brings the action of the competitive cheer and dance season straight to you—anytime, anywhere. 

The always-live stream will feature all-access content and video replays hand-picked by experts on the Varsity TV team. Tune in to Varsity TV 24/7 Network live, starting on Nov. 1.

The 2025 Encore Grand Nationals Results

Results for the 2025 Encore Grand Nationals can be found here.

The 2025 Encore Grand Nationals Schedule

The schedule for the 2025 Encore Grand Nationals can be found here.

Tentative block schedule

The Groove Experience block schedule

Bids Up For Grabs At The 2025 Encore Grand Nationals

• 4 Paid Bids to The Cheerleading Worlds
• 8 At-Large Bids to The Cheerleading Worlds
• 4 Partially Paid Bids to The Dance Worlds
• 8 At-Large Bids to The Dance Worlds
• 3 Paid Bids to The Summit
• 12 At-Large Bids to The Summit
• 5 Paid Bids to The Dance Summit
• 18 At-Large Bids to The Dance Summit
• 3 Paid Bids to The D2 Summit
• 8 At-Large Bids to The D2 Summit
• 1 Paid Bid to The Youth Summit
• 5 At-Large Bids to The Youth Summit
• 5 At-Large Bids to The Recreational Summit
• 2 Paid Bids to The Regional Summit
• Top 3 teams in eligible divisions qualify for The Regional Summit
• 1 Silver Bid to The Quest
• Top 3 teams in bid-eligible divisions earn a Qualifier Bid to The Quest
• Golden Tickets to The U.S. Finals

The Varsity Cheer League

The Varsity Cheer League is the official ranking system for the sport of All Star cheerleading, changing the conversation from “Who won the weekend?” to “Who ranks at the top this season?”

Every all star elite team in Youth, Junior, and Senior divisions will be included in the Varsity Cheer League.

Team rankings are determined by the point system displayed here. 

At each Varsity All Star event your team completes, your team will earn points based on the assigned event and placement point value. 

At the end of the season, your six best Varsity All Star event scores will be used to calculate your final rank.

In total, 92 winners will be recognized from first to third place across each region.

One champion will be crowned in each of the five regions across the six eligible divisions and two League 6 conferences. Champions will win cash and prizes!

Click here to learn more about The Varsity Cheer League

600 Points Up For Grabs At The 2025 Encore Grand Nationals

Click here to view the full points system/breakdown.

Tune in to Varsity TV on Dec. 12-14 to watch all the action live from the 2025 Encore Grand Nationals in Houston!

Join The Conversation On Social

• Follow us on Twitter @VarsityAllStar
• Follow us on Instagram @VarsityAllStar
• Follow us on TikTok @VarsitySpirit
• Watch us on YouTube @VarsitySpirit
• Like us on Facebook @VarsityAllStar