A Systematic Review of the Development of Chinese Dance Cheerleading Competition Rules (2001–2024)

Cheerleading originated in the United States and entered China in 1989, developing rapidly among young people. Competition rules are crucial to guiding the sport’s development. This review searched WoS, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect for studies on Chinese cheerleading competition rules (2014–2024). A total of 213 records were initially retrieved, and 11 articles met the inclusion criteria. The literature screening followed the PRISMA flow, and the SPIDER framework was used to guide the search strategy and inclusion criteria. Existing research primarily compares rule versions in event categories, scoring content, and difficulty evaluation, yet little attention is given to whether current rules align with China’s competitive development or provide a pathway toward international standards. These findings highlight the need for evidence-based rule optimization that reflects China’s specific development stage. However, the current body of literature remains small and largely descriptive, limiting the ability to evaluate the actual effects of rule implementation. Future studies should incorporate empirical assessments to establish more objective, scientific, and applicable evaluation indicators.