The National School Band Championship (NSBC) allows bands across the country to come together and compete at the national level at Walt Disney World Resort. NSBC will be part of the National School Spirit Championships across two weekends – DI & DII, based on school size. These unique performance opportunities give your band the chance to shine in the spotlight, in a standalone Pep Band Division, and collaborate with your cheer or dance programs.

DII: Starting January 30, 2026
School size: 1-1399 students

‌DI: Starting February 6, 2026
School Size: 1400+ students

National School Spirit Championships Information

National School Spirit Championships Information

Championship Event Information

🏆What makes NSBC unique?

This championship gives bands the opportunity to showcase their most crowd effective and engaging performances, geared at enhancing the game day experience. NSBC will give bands the opportunity to travel to Walt Disney World Resort to experience the magic and compete on the national stage.

There will be two separate performance opportunities for bands at the ESPN Wide Worlds of Sports Complex.

  • Pep Band Division – at the National School Band Championship, bands will compete with what you do at athletic events and at pep rallies.
  • Spirit Program Game Day Live Division – the live format can be any combination of cheer and band, dance and band, or cheer, dance and band

Want to get the conversation started with your band? Click Here!

📆Mark Your Calendar

DII Championship: Starting January 30, 2026

  • School Size: 1-1399 students

DI Championship: Starting February 6, 2026

  • School Size: 1400+ students

🏅National School Spirit Champion Points

The National School Spirit Championships will crown America’s most spirited schools through a NSSC points race. Winners will be named in Junior High and High School for both weekends in DI and DII. There’s even up to $75,000 in prizes and awards!

Bands will earn points towards their school’s overall score in both the National School Band Championship and from performing in the Spirit Program Game Day Live division.

Schools with the most points at the end of the weekend will be named the National School Spirit Champions and crowned America’s Most Spirited Schools. The higher you place, the more points you earn.

Stay tuned for more information!

Pep Band Divisions, Rules and Scoring

🎺Pep Band Division Format

Division Format:
Pep Bands must play a minimum of 3 selections:

  •  1 (one) selection must be school theme related
    •  Examples include: traditional fight songs, spell-outs, chants using school
      colors/letters, cadences with school themed vocals.
  • The other 2 (two) or more selections can be any selection of the ensemble’s choosing as long
    as it conforms to the Varsity Spirit Rules and Regulations Music Guidelines.

Number of Performers:

  • Bands must have a minimum of 5 performers.

Time limits:

  • Pep Bands may play more than 3 selections and must stay within their maximum performance time of
    5:00 minutes (300 seconds)

🥁Pep Band Divisions & Rules

High School and Junior High Divisions

  •  Regional competitions will split divisions in the best interest of providing a competitiveenvironment. Divisions will initially start with a split only between High School and Junior HighDivisions.

Rules & Score Sheets:

Spirit Program Game Day Live Division

🎷Spirit Program Game Day Live

The Spirit Program Game Day Divisions emphasize the collaboration and cohesion of your school’s spirit programs– cheer, dance and band– in an exciting new Game Day format that fosters school pride and emphasizes your school’s traditions in an entertaining and crowd effective performance. Your team will showcase the sights and sounds of your unique game day traditions while emphasizing the unification of your spirit program.   

Click here for Spirit Program Division Guidelines.

Click here for the Spirit Program Game Day Coaches Webinar

Click here for the 25-26 regional locations offering the Spirit Program Game Day Divisions

NSSC Spirit Program Game Day will offer: 
  • Spirit Program Traditions Divisions – Varsity DI & Varsity DII
    • Spirit Program (Cheer & Dance)
    • Spirit Program Cheer LIVE (Cheer & Band)
    • Spirit Program Dance LIVE (Dance & Band)
    • Spirit Program LIVE (Cheer, Dance & Band)
  • Junior High and Varsity divisions will be split.
  • Junior Varsity teams can combine with their Varsity for Spirit Program Game Day/LIVE Divisions.
  • A minimum of 5 athletes must represent each performance group. (cheer, dance, &/or band)
    • Overall minimum of 10 athletes/performers
  • A maximum of 75 athletes/performers are allowed to represent the spirit program.
  • Up to 2 Mascots are allowed and are not included in the total participant number.
NOTE: UCA and UDA will split divisions in the best interest of providing a competitive environment. When/if a division has 11 or more teams additional splits may be offered. When/if a division has less than 3 teams, they may be combined into the same age/size division. Junior High and Varsity will not be combined. 
PERFORMANCE FORMAT:
  • FIGHT SONG: This section should reflect your school’s traditional Fight Song that your team performs at games, pep rallies, etc. Teams should incorporate crowd effective elements and choreography that enhances the overall effect. For teams that do not have an official Fight Song, it is recommended to use a second selection of band chant music. Music guidelines are available at varsity.com/music.
  • CROWD LEADING (SIDELINE OR CHANT): This section should showcase any home/traditional sideline with words that are repetitive, easy to follow, that incite crowd engagement and involvement. The crowd leading portion should be easy for the crowd to follow along and engage. 
  • TIMEOUT/TRADITION: The timeout/tradition should reflect a similar crowd interactive and entertaining performance that your team performs during halftimes, extended timeouts, or pep rallies. This is the best time to showcase spirit program cohesiveness and unison.

For information about Varsity Spirit music guidelines, CLICK HERE.

🎵Spirit Program Game Day Live Division & Rules

CLICK HERE to view more information regarding rules & regulations.

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