SpongeBob SquarePants: the character's full collection in 2026

More than twenty-five years after his debut on Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants is still one of the most recognisable characters in pop culture: Entertainment Weekly named him among the hundred most notable characters of his era, Nickelodeon Movies made him its mascot, and his giant balloon has flown several times in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Few characters have been turned into so many collectibles, and 2026 adds a long-awaited chapter with the return of LEGO bricks, fourteen years after the last sets. Here is a look at everything the most famous sponge under the sea has for collectors this year: bricks, Funko figures, Loungefly accessories and a video game.

This guide is about SpongeBob himself: Patrick, Squidward and the rest of Bikini Bottom are waiting for you in the full SpongeBob SquarePants collection.

Who is SpongeBob SquarePants?

Before he filled entire shelves of collectibles, SpongeBob was born on the drawing board of Stephen Hillenburg, a marine biologist who became an animator. In the late 1980s, for an educational comic called The Intertidal Zone, he created a talkative sea sponge who, ten years later, would star in his own series: the first episode aired on 1 May 1999 on Nickelodeon.

The character was meant to be called SpongeBoy, but the name was already registered by a mop brand, so he became SpongeBob.

His look has not changed since: a yellow rectangular sponge full of holes, two large gapped teeth, a white shirt with a red tie over brown trousers, and striped socks. A fry cook at the Krusty Krab, he lives in a pineapple at 124 Conch Street in Bikini Bottom with his pet snail Gary, alongside his best friend Patrick Star, his exasperated neighbour Squidward Tentacles and his friend Sandy Cheeks.

He is voiced by Tom Kenny.

For collectors, he is ideal source material: the unchanging outfit makes every figure recognisable at a glance, and his stretchy expressions and signature accessories, from the jellyfishing net to the pineapple house, carry over from one range to another. The products below show this.

LEGO 2026: SpongeBob returns in bricks

Two sets make up this return, announced together in mid-July 2026 and available to pre-order on lego.com with shipping from 1 September 2026, ahead of partner retailers. One puts SpongeBob front and centre, the other recreates his street. We covered them when they were announced, and examined the larger model in a dedicated review.

BrickHeadz: SpongeBob SquarePants Figure (40858)

This is the character's own product in this wave. The cube-shaped figure features the yellow sponge body full of holes, the big round eyes, the two-toothed smile, the white shirt, the red tie and the brown trousers, with the jellyfishing net clipped to his hand and the usual black BrickHeadz base. It has 72 pieces and is recommended for ages 10 and up, available on lego.com ahead of partner retailers.

All the details in our announcement article.

Icons: SpongeBob SquarePants, Bikini Bottom (11386)

The second set in the wave is clearly aimed at adults: 1,794 pieces, an 18+ rating, and Conch Street recreated with SpongeBob's pineapple house, Squidward's moai head and Patrick's rock.

SpongeBob appears as a minifigure, alongside Patrick and Squidward, with a new torso in a lighter yellow and triple-moulded short legs; Gary and DoodleBob complete the cast. The jellyfish field and its rotating gear mechanism are the main play feature.

It is available on lego.com from the same date, 1 September 2026. Read our full review here.

Funko POP 2026: this year's new SpongeBob figures

Funko remains the busiest range for the character. Several SpongeBob figures have been released since January, across the standard line, glow-in-the-dark versions and the Rides format.

POP SpongeBob as the Flying Dutchman #1943

Released in early January 2026, following the film The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, this figure shows SpongeBob dressed as the Flying Dutchman: entirely green, with a full beard and a wide hat. The box indicates a glow-in-the-dark finish.

POP SpongeBob #2312

Released in May 2026, this one shows SpongeBob with one hand raised and a tray of multicoloured patties under the other arm. Funko lists it as SpongeBob with Pretty Patties, and the box again indicates a glow-in-the-dark finish.

POP Rides: SpongeBob and Mystery #145

The Rides format is larger than standard POPs. SpongeBob sits on the back of Mystery, the green seahorse with a red mane, his eyes closed and a plaster on his cheek. It has been available since June 2026.

POP SpongeBob #2313

Also released in June 2026, this figure from the Animation line is the most restrained version: SpongeBob wearing his white and blue cap, eyes half-closed and a sideways smile, with his red tie and brown trousers.

POP SpongeBob #2556

Funko has announced a new figure for 27 November 2026, with a new treatment: SpongeBob appears to be melting, the yellow material dripping down his whole body to his black shoes, while his smile and red tie stay intact. It is part of a wave that also includes Patrick, Squidward and Mr. Krabs in the same style.

SpongeBob is not the only one getting the Funko treatment this year: Patrick and Squidward have their own figures too. Here are the licence's POPs released or expected in 2026.

Loungefly 2026: the SpongeBob wallet

For accessories, Loungefly offers a zip-around wallet with a pink and white checkerboard pattern, with SpongeBob stretched across it, mouth wide open and arms outstretched. It was released in May 2026.

The brand also offers Bikini Bottom designs as mini backpacks and keyrings. Here is the Loungefly selection for the licence.

Video game 2026: Titans of the Tide arrives on Switch

The platform game SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide, developed by Purple Lamp and published by THQ Nordic, has been available since November 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch 2.

A Nintendo Switch version was released in France on 13 October 2026. The game begins with a quarrel between the Flying Dutchman and King Neptune that causes chaos in Bikini Bottom, and players can switch freely between SpongeBob and Patrick.

Beyond this new release, the sponge from Bikini Bottom already has a whole library of games: see all the SpongeBob SquarePants video games available.

Other SpongeBob collectibles in 2026

Two curiosities round off the year: a stretchy Stretch Armstrong figure of SpongeBob, released in March 2026, and a set of five Fuggler plush keyrings featuring SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Gary and Plankton, available since late May.

SpongeBob, a safe bet for collectors

Between LEGO's return after fourteen years, the steady run of Funko figures, the Loungefly wallet and the Switch release in October, the sponge from Bikini Bottom covers almost every type of collectible in 2026. There is something for fans of large display pieces as well as for collectors looking for an inexpensive item.

Below is a selection of SpongeBob SquarePants collectibles.