Montreal reaches new heights with global cheerleading tournament
Posted July 19, 2026 3:56 pm.
Last Updated July 19, 2026 6:41 pm.
For 16-year-old Addison Fougere, competing in Montreal is more than just a chance to perform — it is the result of months of hard work, commitment and teamwork.
The Nova Scotia athlete is one of more than 1,300 competitors from around the world taking part in the Association for International All Star (AIA) Global Tournament, making its Montreal debut at the Verdun Auditorium.
Fougere says travelling to Montreal for the competition has been a major opportunity for her and her team.
“It’s a really big opportunity for me and my team. We are all very excited and worked really hard this past season to get here and leading up to the competition. So it means a lot to have the chance to be here.”
After five years in cheerleading, Fougere says the sport has shaped who she is and given her experiences she will carry forward.
“Cheerleading means a lot to me. It’s taught me many lessons in my life and just things I’ll never forget, experiences that I’ll never forget, and stuff I can pass on to the next generation.”
Montreal welcomes an international competition
The tournament, which runs until July 20 at the Verdun Auditorium, has brought together elite cheerleading teams from more than 10 countries, giving athletes the chance to compete on an international stage in front of family, friends and local supporters.
Organized in collaboration with Cheer Québec, the event adds to Montreal’s reputation as a host city for major sporting competitions and comes as the city marks the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Olympic Games.
Tourisme Montréal says bringing the competition to the city highlights Montreal’s ability to welcome international-calibre sporting events while helping promote emerging sports.
“At Tourisme Montréal, we are actively working to attract major sporting events that contribute to the city’s international profile,” said Yves Lalumière, president and chief executive officer of Tourisme Montréal.
“The choice of Montréal for this competition is a testament to our ability to offer a world-class experience to athletes, federations and visitors. We are convinced that our expertise in event management, our passion for sport and our hospitality make Montréal the ideal host for this exceptional event.”
A growing sport in Quebec
Cheerleading continues to expand across the province. Cheer Québec now has more than 14,000 members from school and community programs, nearly 60 affiliated clubs, about 30 annual competitions and an extensive coach training network.
Quebec athletes also make up a significant portion of Canada’s national teams and regularly contribute to the country’s success at major international competitions.
Jenny-Lee Dugré, executive director of the Fédération de cheerleading du Québec, says hosting the tournament gives Quebec’s cheerleading community a chance to show what it has built.
“Cheer Québec is immensely proud to see that Tourisme Montréal is opening the city’s doors to our athletes, enabling them to excel on the international stage in front of their loved ones, just as our city celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Olympic legacy.”
For Dugré, the first edition of the AIA Global Tournament is an opportunity to put Quebec cheerleading in the international spotlight.
“We were happy to be hosting this first edition of the event,” said Dugré.
“In Quebec, Cheer Québec is pretty big. We have like 16,000 members. We have coaches and athletes and everything training. So we are organized and we know how to run cheerleading. So they decided to come and be with us for that event.”
The tournament also introduces a new format, with teams competing through qualification rounds before advancing to semifinals and finals.
“It is the first ever edition of that format. So it’s a tournament where teams compete against each other. Like the FIFA tournament, they go up until the semifinal and final against each other,” Dugré explained.
More than pom-poms: The athletic side of cheerleading
Although many people associate cheerleading with entertainment or sideline performances, competitive cheerleading is a high-performance sport requiring strength, agility, endurance, precision and teamwork.
The sport’s international federation has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee since 2021, further strengthening its place among organized high-performance sports.
Athletes say the work behind every routine requires discipline and focus.
Vancouver competitor Avery Jacobson, who is in her eighth season of cheerleading, says the sport is often misunderstood.
“I think cheerleading is one of the least girly feminine sports ever. Just because it’s very misunderstood. A lot of the girls are blood, sweat and tears each year.”
“And it’s so hard just because one mistake could cost you your entire thing. One mistake and you’re done. I do think it is a feminine sport, but I do think it’s very misunderstood.”
Beyond the competition, Jacobson says cheerleading has created a strong sense of community.
“Cheer is such an important part of my life because I’ve grown up with all these people. And everyone’s so welcoming and amazing and they just treat you like family.”
“I love cheerleading because of the teamwork and it’s a really unique sport. And I’m proud to cheer and show it to more people.”
Athletes from around the world take the stage
For athletes travelling from outside Quebec, the tournament is also a chance to connect with competitors from different countries.
Vancouver competitor Chanele Chung says competing in Montreal has been a memorable experience.
“This is my fifth year doing cheer and it’s been really fun. I think that cheer is really fun because you have to compete on stage and show our hard work to other people.”
She says facing international teams has made the experience even more special.
“It’s really cool to compete against other countries like Australia and England and France. It’s really cool.”
Behind every routine is hours of preparation
Coaches say reaching a competition of this scale requires dedication, teamwork and preparation long before athletes step onto the mat.
Sarah Lamarre, a coach with RND Elite Allstars, says the tournament has given athletes a unique opportunity to compete on a bigger stage.
“It’s a very nice experience for all the athletes to have a big tournament like this. We’re used to having competitions, but not a big tournament, so it’s a very nice experience. And they’re having a very great time here in Montreal.”
Lamarre says cheerleading is a sport that welcomes everyone.
“We have a lot of boys at our gym, so it’s a girl and boys sport, but people think about cheer as like the pom-poms and like easy, but it’s a very difficult sport and you have to be in shape, prepare, train for it.”
For her team, preparing for the event came with an added challenge.
“Normally you train like a whole season to get to a competition, but for this tournament, since it was like the first year and it’s like kind of off season for us in July, we only had seven practices with our athletes to do this special tournament.”
A global stage beyond the scoreboard
For judges and organizers, the tournament is about more than just winning.
Amy Wright, a judge at the AIA Global Tournament, says being part of an international event in Montreal has been a unique experience.
“I was so happy to be asked to come here and I’ve never been in an event where there have been teams from Brazil and Australia, England, Canada. It’s very, very exciting to participate in a world event.”
As a judge in the dance divisions, Wright evaluates elements including execution, timing, creativity and performance.
“I’m looking for proper spacing, unison movements, in sync timing, making sure that everyone is moving in the same way.”
She says the connections made during the tournament are just as valuable as the results.
“We’re meeting people from all around the world and making friendships, so you can’t buy that in any sort of environment other than to come to a world event.”
“The dedication and the time and the prep and energy it takes to get yourself to a place like this should be applauded.”
Demonstrations open to the public
In addition to the ticketed competition, organizers have offered free cheerleading demonstrations and introductory workshops at Arthur-Therrien Park, just steps from the Verdun Auditorium.
The tournament is expected to showcase the athleticism and technical skill of competitive cheerleading while reinforcing Montreal’s place as a host city for international sporting events.
