The American Championships season may be a little shorter, as the 2025-2026 campaign didn’t begin until December, but things pick up quickly, with four of the 15 events taking place in January.

Among them, is the 2026 edition of The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals, which will take place Jan. 17-18 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, a venue growing more and more familiar with elite cheer and dance competitions. 

Oh, and once again, Varsity TV will be there to provide live coverage of all the fun!

American Championship Events center around the quality of the production and venue transformation (extensive warm-up areas, double-wide tumbling strips), along with the spectator experience and judging system, plus Olympic-style awards. 

The events have been built based on suggestions from coaches, too, and one of the main goals is for the staff to be able to show it has been working as hard at preparing the competition and venue as the athletes have worked to be ready for it.

Enjoy complete coverage of The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals, 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 Teams
• When: Jan. 17-18, 2026 
• Where: Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore
• Watch: LIVE on Varsity TV
• Rebroadcast: Watch HERE
• The Varsity Cheer League: 400 Points Up For Grabs

What To Know About The Baltimore Convention Center

The Baltimore Convention Center has become a familiar host for cheer and dance events, and along with a top-notch facility, the location also gives athletes and their guests access to an amazing city with a long history and countless things to do.

The convention center opened in 1979 and was expanded in 1996. It features 300,000 square feet of exhibition space, 50 meeting rooms (85,000 square feet), a multifunctional ballroom (36,000 square feet), catering and audio-visual services. It hosts more than 125 events each year and welcomes approximately 500,000 visitors. 

More about the Baltimore Convention Center: Photo Galley | Directions & Parking | Virtual Maps | FAQ

The convention center is part of a lively area – downtown, Baltimore Inner Harbor, Camden Yards (home of the Baltimore Orioles), thousands of hotel rooms, hundreds of restaurants, the beautiful waterfront and more.

Things To Do In Baltimore

Baltimore has been part of the landscape of what would become the United States for almost 370 years, while the city officially was founded in 1729.

The area played a role in a number of the wars and battles that helped shaped the America we love today, and so much of that history and evolution can be found across the city.

Click HERE to learn more about historic Baltimore and all the amazing things to do and learn.

For the history buffs who might be in town for The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals, there are sightseeing tours along the waterfront and opportunities to walk in the footsteps of some of the nation’s most influential men and women. See the monuments. Enjoy the architecture and landmarks.

Due to its location and accessibility, Baltimore long has been a destination for people of all cultures and backgrounds, and that is evident in the area’s personality, as well as its neighborhoods.

To keep things a little lighter, there are many great markets and food halls, museums, galleries and live sporting events.

Depending on the weather in mid-January, Baltimore also has countless outdoor and waterfront activities. Visit Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for some more history, incredible views, shopping, museums and delicious seafood. 

Here’s a look into the food scene, including some Maryland blue crab, plus a list of the area’s many public markets. 

What are the food staples in Baltimore? Crab cakes, crab soup, crab bisque, crab dip, many other kinds of fresh fish and shellfish, Old Bay seasoning, Utz potato chips, pit beef sandwiches, Berger Cookies, lemon sticks, Smith Island Cake and so much more!

Need a car to get around Baltimore? Visit Avis!

How To Watch The 2026 The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals

The 2026 edition of The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals will stream LIVE on Varsity TV.

If you’re going to be in Maryland and want to see the event in person, click HERE for spectator and ticket information.

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 2026 The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals Results

Results for the 2026 The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals can be found here.

The 2026 The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals Schedule

The schedule for the 2026 The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals can be found here.

Bids Up For Grabs At The 2026 The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals 

• 2 Partially Paid Bids to The Summit
• 8 At-Large Bids to The Summit
• 2 Partially Paid Bids to The D2 Summit
• 6 At-Large Bids to The D2 Summit
• 1 Partially Paid Bid to The Youth Summit
• 5 At-Large Bids to The Youth Summit
• Top 3 teams in eligible divisions qualify for The Regional Summit
• 5 At-Large Bids to The Recreational Summit
• 1 Silver Bid to The Quest
• Top 3 teams in eligible divisions qualify for 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.

400 Points Up For Grabs At The 2026 The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals

Click here to view the full points system/breakdown.

Tune in to Varsity TV on Jan. 17-18 to watch all the action live from the 2026 edition of The American Masterpiece Baltimore Nationals in Baltimore!

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