Best Mad Monday Costumes of 2026

The 2026 footy season might be over, but the costumes are still giving us plenty to laugh about!

From The Simpsons and Scooby Doo to Oompa Loompas, Shrek and some seriously questionable celebrity impersonations, sporting clubs across Australia have once again gone all out for Mad Monday.

Every year, footy, netball and sporting clubs swap their uniforms for ridiculous outfits to celebrate the end of the season. And judging by the photos we've received at Mad Monday, 2026 has delivered some absolute crackers.

We've rounded up some of our favourite Mad Monday costumes of 2026, featuring everything from clever group efforts to costumes that probably took a little too much planning.

The Tess Crosley Costumes That Made the Daily Mail

Some Mad Monday costumes are funny enough to make the group chat. Others end up making international headlines.

One of the more topical efforts this year featured a group dressed in wigs, dresses and Brisbane Lions gear, appearing to reference the much-publicised AFL controversy involving Tess Crosley.

The costumes even attracted attention from the Daily Mail, proving that a topical Mad Monday outfit can generate plenty of conversation well beyond the footy club.

See the Daily Mail coverage here.

The Simpsons: Homer and Marge Simpson

You can't go too far wrong with The Simpsons.

This duo committed to the yellow face paint, oversized cartoon eyes and Marge's enormous blue hair. Throw in Homer's white polo and Marge's red necklace, and you've got one of the most recognisable costume combinations of the year.

Simple idea, excellent execution.

Oompa Loompas and Willy Wonka

Five Oompa Loompas, one Willy Wonka and a golden ticket.

This group absolutely nailed the theme, complete with bright green wigs, orange face paint, matching outfits and a purple Willy Wonka costume.

The matching costumes make this one of our favourite group efforts of 2026.

When the whole team gets involved, the photos are always better.

Scooby Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang

Looks like the Mystery Machine made a stop at Mad Monday!

Shaggy, Scooby Doo, Velma, Daphne and Fred all made an appearance, with the group recreating the classic cartoon characters.

Scooby Doo remains one of the best Mad Monday group costume ideas because everyone gets their own character.

And unlike most footy clubs, this crew might actually solve a mystery.

Shrek Makes an Appearance

Some costumes require months of planning.

Others just require a white shirt, green face paint and a willingness to look ridiculous.

Our Shrek contender absolutely committed to the look, proving you don't need an expensive costume to make an impression.

The Spice Girls

The 1990s were alive and well at Mad Monday 2026, with a group rocking outfits inspired by the Spice Girls.

From Union Jack dresses to blonde wigs, bright colours and questionable dance moves, this was a proper throwback.

An excellent choice for anyone who enjoys a bit of nostalgia.

Finding Nemo: Darla and Nemo

One of the more creative duo costumes this year!

The pair recreated Darla and Nemo from Finding Nemo, complete with an orange fish costume, plastic bag and Darla's unmistakable red pigtails.

It's the sort of costume that becomes even funnier once you realise what you're looking at.

Full marks for creativity.

Bob Ross: The Joy of Mad Monday

A curly wig, beard, denim outfit and a painter's palette.

Our Bob Ross impersonator went all in, complete with paintbrush and a surprisingly serious expression.

There are no mistakes on Mad Monday. Just happy little accidents.

Back to the Future Meets the Party

Great Scott!

Marty McFly and a wild-haired companion brought a bit of Back to the Future to the celebrations.

The red puffer vest, denim and futuristic sunglasses made this another standout costume pairing.

A reminder that classic movie characters never go out of fashion.

The Inbetweeners: The School Uniform Crew

School uniforms, striped ties, blazers and a briefcase.

This group brought some serious Inbetweeners energy to their Mad Monday celebrations.

The commitment to the schoolboy look, complete with oversized props, made for a hilarious group photo.

Luke Littler Darts World Champion

A darts jersey and a homemade World Championship trophy.

One of the more unusual sporting costumes in this year's collection, but certainly one that deserves recognition.

The oversized trophy makes the photo.

Ronald McDonald

Ronald McDonald made an appearance in full yellow and red, complete with red wig, face paint and two thumbs up.

A classic character that needs very little explanation.

Carl and Russell From Up

One of the more wholesome and creative costume combinations of 2026.

The pair recreated Carl Fredricksen and Russell from Disney Pixar's Up, complete with colourful balloons, a walking frame and Russell's Wilderness Explorer badges.

The balloons were a particularly good touch.

The Mad Monday Celebrity and Character Collection

The costumes didn't stop there.

We also spotted a brilliant collection of pop culture references, including a group of characters from Shrek, a golf-themed trio, a very committed AFL supporter in an elaborate white outfit, and plenty of wigs that probably won't be making another appearance until next season.

From homemade props to full team costumes, the effort that goes into some of these outfits is impressive.

And that's exactly what makes Mad Monday such a great Australian sporting tradition.

Looking for Mad Monday Costume Ideas for 2027?

If you're already planning next year's end of season celebrations, there's plenty of inspiration in this year's collection.

Some of the best Mad Monday costume ideas we've seen include:

Movie characters: Scooby Doo, Shrek, Finding Nemo and Back to the Future.
Cartoon favourites: The Simpsons, Oompa Loompas and Disney characters.
Celebrity impersonations: Famous personalities, sporting figures and topical moments.
Group costumes: Matching police officers, school uniforms and coordinated movie themes.
Homemade costumes: Cardboard props, oversized trophies and creative outfits made from scratch.

The secret to a memorable costume isn't necessarily spending the most money. It's getting creative, committing to the character and convincing a few teammates to get involved.

Planning Your 2027 Mad Monday Footy Trip?

The costumes are only part of the fun.

At Mad Monday, we help sporting clubs across Australia organise their end of season celebrations, including footy trips, netball trips, cricket trips and group getaways.

We can organise your accommodation, group activities, nightlife, custom team singlets and plenty more.

Even better, everyone can pay individually through our online booking system, meaning the organiser doesn't have to chase teammates for money.

Whether you're heading to Cairns, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne or somewhere else, we'll help get the trip sorted.

Ready to organise your 2027 trip?

Start Your Trip with Mad Monday

And to everyone who sent us their 2026 costume photos, thanks for giving us a good laugh. We can't wait to see what you come up with next year!