Footy Colors Day
September 1
About Footy Colors Day
Footy Colors Day, known in Australia as Footy Colours Day, is a national fundraising event run by the Fight Cancer Foundation throughout September, with the official day commonly marked at the start of the month on Tuesday, 1 September 2026. Participants wear their favourite football team’s colours to school or work and raise money to help children with cancer keep up with their education during treatment and recovery.
How to Take Part in Footy Colors Day
Footy Colours Day is built around simple, social fundraising that anyone can join. Although September is the official month, you can host your event on any date that suits you. Here are some ways to get involved:
- Wear your team’s colours – Don the scarf, jersey, or guernsey of your favourite footy team at school, work, or your club for a gold coin donation.
- Register your event for free – Sign up on the official Footy Colours Day website to set up a fundraising page and get a free fundraising kit.
- Host a footy-themed day – Organise a casual clothes day, a morning tea, a sausage sizzle, or a mini match to bring people together and raise funds.
- Set a fundraising goal – Rally your classmates, colleagues, or teammates around a target to keep everyone motivated.
- Share your page online – Spread the word to friends and family on social media so they can donate even if they cannot attend.
- Run a workplace challenge – Encourage teams or departments to compete to see who can raise the most for the cause.
- Get your school involved – Footy Colours Day is hugely popular in schools, where students wear their colours and learn about supporting kids with cancer.
- Donate directly – If you cannot host your own event, you can still give to the Fight Cancer Foundation through the campaign.
What is Footy Colors Day?
Footy Colours Day is one of the Fight Cancer Foundation’s flagship fundraising campaigns. Supporters across Australia wear the colours of their chosen football code and team, whether AFL, rugby league, rugby union, or soccer, and donate to the cause. The money raised funds the Foundation’s education support programs, which help children and young people with cancer continue their schooling while they undergo treatment and recover.
When is Footy Colors Day?
Footy Colours Day is held throughout September each year, with the official campaign date most often listed as 1 September. In 2026 that is a Tuesday. Because it is a flexible fundraising campaign rather than a single fixed event, schools, workplaces, and community groups can choose to hold their own Footy Colours Day on any date during the month.
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 1 September |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 1 September |
| 2028 | Friday, 1 September |
| 2029 | Saturday, 1 September |
| 2030 | Sunday, 1 September |
Note that the dates above mark the start of the official September campaign; because Footy Colours Day is flexible, your own event can be held on any day during the month.
The History of Footy Colors Day
Footy Colours Day was established by the Fight Cancer Foundation, an Australian charity dedicated to supporting people affected by cancer and related blood disorders. The campaign harnesses Australia’s deep passion for football, across all of its codes, to raise funds and awareness for children whose education is disrupted by a cancer diagnosis.
The event has become a fixture in Australian schools and workplaces each September, where wearing team colours for a gold coin donation has proven to be an easy and inclusive way to fundraise. Over the years it has grown into one of the Foundation’s best-known campaigns, drawing in students, teachers, sports clubs, and businesses around the country.
All funds raised support the Fight Cancer Foundation’s education support programs, which provide tutoring and learning assistance so that young people with cancer do not fall behind their peers while they are in treatment or recovery.
Fun Facts About Footy Colors Day
- Footy Colours Day is run by the Fight Cancer Foundation, an Australian charity supporting people affected by cancer.
- September is the official Footy Colours Day month, but participants can hold their own event on any date they choose.
- Registering to host a Footy Colours Day event is completely free.
- Money raised funds education support programs that help children with cancer keep up with school during treatment.
- The campaign welcomes fans of every football code, from AFL and rugby to soccer.
Why Footy Colors Day Matters
A cancer diagnosis can pull a child out of the classroom for months, leaving them isolated from friends and behind on their learning. Footy Colours Day turns a simple act, wearing your team’s colours, into vital funding for programs that help these young people stay connected to their education and their peers during one of the hardest times of their lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Footy Colors Day?
It is an Australian fundraising campaign run by the Fight Cancer Foundation. Participants wear their favourite football team’s colours and donate to support education programs for children with cancer.
When is Footy Colors Day in 2026?
The official campaign runs throughout September 2026, with the headline date most often listed as Tuesday, 1 September. You can hold your own event on any day during the month.
Where does the money go?
All funds raised support the Fight Cancer Foundation’s education support programs, which help children and young people with cancer keep up with school during treatment and recovery.
Spread the Word
Join in and share photos of your team colours on social media with #FootyColoursDay and #FootyColoursDay2026. Tag your friends, your school, or your workplace and challenge them to dress up and donate. If you care about supporting young people through illness, you might also like Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which runs throughout September.
Related Awareness Days
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month / A Month of Movement – A month-long focus on children affected by cancer, also held in September.
- National Random Acts of Light Day – A day of kindness and support connected to cancer awareness.
- Global Hug Your Kids Day – A reminder to cherish and support the children in our lives.
Links
2026 Health Awareness Calendar
Health and wellbeing awareness days throughout the year. Perfect for clinics, HR teams, and schools.
View Calendar →
