More than 120 middle school and varsity cheer squads from across South Alabama will fill the Mobile Convention Center on Sept. 30 for the 2026 AHSAA South Super Regional Cheer Competition.
What is at stake is a place at the state finals.
The Format
Teams competing at the South Super Regional are vying to advance to the 2026 AHSAA State Cheer Finals, scheduled for December at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
Regional competition is the qualifying step. Squads that place advance; squads that do not are finished for the season. For a sport in which a routine lasts a few minutes, that is a considerable amount of a year’s work compressed into a single performance.
The Scale
More than 120 squads is a substantial field, and it reflects how broadly competitive cheer has spread through Alabama high schools and middle schools.
The inclusion of middle school divisions alongside varsity is part of that. Programs that once began in ninth grade now run feeder squads, and the regional field has grown accordingly.
Why the Convention Center
Hosting a field that size requires floor space, seating and the ability to run divisions in sequence over a full day. The Mobile Convention Center provides all three, and its downtown location makes it reachable for teams traveling from across the southern half of the state.
For families, it also means a single destination rather than a multi-site regional.
What Comes Next
Squads that advance from Mobile will travel to the Birmingham CrossPlex in December for the state finals.
Between now and Sept. 30, the work happens in school gyms across South Alabama.