Cheerleading started in the States in the 1860s and became an official organized sport in 1898 and for a long time it has been the best country in the world to do cheerleading.
In all of the years of ICU World Championships (first competition was in 2009), USA has dominated the sport in all of the divisions, but the next countries constantly on top are, surprisingly, the Nordic Countries. The Nordics are especially strong in the All Girl Premiere division, where the countries that are consequently in the top 5 are Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and USA. This year, in 2022 Germany and Canada gave the Nordics a good challenge, when Germany took bronze and Canada placed fifth, dropping Sweden from the medal podium, and Norway and Denmark from the top 5.
In 2011, Finnish partner stunt couple Mija Schrey & Mika Pennanen won the World Championship title in the partner stunt division. The cheerleading world was made aware of Finland. It took many years after the historic partner stunt win, for the Nordics to rise up in the team divisions as well. Finland did well, placing 4th, 5th and 3rd in the All Girl division, and taking many top 5 placements in coed. History was made in 2018, when the Finnish Women’s National Team finally took home the World Championship title (and haven’t stopped since). Now they hold 4 World Champion titles and are titled as the trendsetters, bringing new skills and elements to the competition mat every year. Finland’s historic win(s) lit a fire in every Finnish and Nordic cheerleader, if they could do it, so can we.