Bracket tournament
Head-to-head pairs, the room votes on each matchup, winners advance. Eight players makes a perfect three-round bracket and a dramatic final.
For every crowd
Ugly Face Contest Ideas
An ugly face contest works almost anywhere people gather and could use a laugh: the office, a classroom, a birthday party, a reunion, even a video call. Here's how to adapt it to the room — formats, voting ideas, and the ground rules that keep it fun for everybody.
Before anything else
Three ground rules for any crowd.
- It's opt-in. Nobody has to compete, and nobody has to be photographed. Spectators and judges are part of the fun too.
- Ridiculous faces, not real ones. Everyone is pulling a face on purpose. Jokes are about the face someone made, never how anyone actually looks.
- Photos need permission. Ask before sharing a photo outside the room — especially at work and with kids.
The core game
Thirty-second rules
Everyone makes one ugly face of their own choosing. No props, no filters. Everyone gets one vote, and nobody votes for themselves. Most votes wins. The full rulebook is on the Rules page, and the hosting guide covers the basics step by step.
By occasion
Pick your venue.
Office party or team event
A five-minute icebreaker that needs zero setup. Keep it voluntary, let people judge instead of compete if they'd rather, and skip posting photos anywhere public without a clear yes. Departments competing as teams (each team's best face goes to a final) turns it into a rivalry without putting any one person on the spot. Bonus points if leadership competes.
Team video call
Count down from three, everyone pulls their face at once, and the host screenshots the gallery. Vote in the chat with emoji reactions or a quick poll. For bigger teams, run a bracket: breakout rooms of four, a winner from each, then a grand final on the main call.
Classroom, club or camp
Skip the cameras and judge live with an applause-o-meter: the loudest cheer wins. Give out silly categories so lots of kids win something — Best Eyebrows, Most Surprising, Bravest Attempt. Keep the focus on creativity and courage, and let anyone sit out who wants to.
Birthday party or sleepover
Run rounds between cake and presents. The birthday person is head judge and hands out the certificate. For older kids and teens, a Face-Off gives every attempt a score out of 100, which settles arguments fast.
Family reunion or holiday
Generations against each other is the classic matchup. Print the free holiday kit for ballots and a certificate, and start a Group Face-Off so cousins who couldn't make it can play from home on the same leaderboard.
Fundraiser
Volunteers (ideally the principal, the pastor or the boss) make their faces, and every dollar donated buys a vote. The ugliest face raises the most money and earns the trophy. Post the results with everyone's permission and watch next year's volunteers line up.
Formats
Ways to run the contest.
Panel of judges
Two or three judges score every face from 1 to 10 in Realism, Creativity, Humor and Pure Ugliness. Use the printable scorecard in the holiday kit.
Everyone at once
On "three," the whole room pulls a face simultaneously and the host picks out the worst. Fast, chaotic, and great as a warm-up round.
Remote challenge
Not in the same place? Send a Face-Off: make your face, get a score, and dare someone to beat it. They play on their own phone and both of you see the winner.
Live leaderboard
For a big group, a Group Face-Off gives everyone one link and puts every score on one board. Put it up on a TV or laptop and let the standings do the trash talk.
The traveling trophy
Whatever the format, the winner keeps a (terrible) trophy until the next contest and must defend the title. Rivalries write themselves.
Questions
Contest ideas FAQ
Is an ugly face contest appropriate for work?
Yes, if it's voluntary and kept good-natured. Make participation optional, keep jokes about the faces people chose to make, and don't post photos without permission. Many teams find it's one of the few icebreakers that gets everybody laughing.
How many people do you need?
Two is enough for a head-to-head Face-Off. Four or more makes a real contest, and eight is perfect for a bracket.
How do you judge an ugly face contest fairly?
Use a secret ballot with one vote each and no self-voting, or a small panel scoring the four official categories. For a neutral tiebreaker, let the QUFC lab score both faces.
Ready to host?
Learn the techniques that win, then pick a format and go.
How to Make an Ugly Face Start a Group Face-Off