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Meet The High School That Just Won A $1 Million Football Field Upgrade

From a brand partner: The 2026 Friday Night 5G Lights grand prize winner has been crowned. See how the school scored big.

Menasha High School is bringing home the biggest prize in T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights competition.

The school in Menasha, Wisconsin, home of the Bluejays, has been named the 2026 national grand prize winner after communities across the country spent the season rallying behind their hometown football teams.

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The win means Menasha High School will receive a $1 million home field upgrade from T-Mobile, along with a celebration for the school and community.

It's the final chapter of this year's Friday Night 5G Lights competition, which awarded more than $8.4 million in prizes to high schools across the country.

How Menasha High School Made It To The Top

Menasha High School didn't get here in just one round.

The Bluejays advanced through multiple stages of Friday Night 5G Lights, ultimately earning the most votes in the final round and being crowned the national grand prize winner.

Along the way, Menasha High School earned:

The school will also get a celebration with the community as it marks the win, with another event planned when the new home field upgrade is officially revealed.

A Nationwide High School Football Competition

This year, more than 2,400 high schools took part in T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights, giving communities across the country a chance to rally around their teams and compete for prizes throughout the football season.

During $5K Fridays, 1,000 schools won $5,000. From there, 40 Division Finalists each received $25,000 and a T-Mobile-hosted home game celebration.

The field was then narrowed to four Division Champions — one each from the West, Midwest, South and East — with each earning $250,000, a Gronk Fitness gym and "The Big Deal" Student Leadership Award.

Fans then voted on the four remaining schools, with Menasha High School ultimately coming out on top.

More Than $8.4 Million In Prizes

In all, T-Mobile invested more than $8.4 million in prizes for high schools across the country through the 2026 competition.

Football stars Rob Gronkowski and Patrick Mahomes, along with college athletes, also joined the program as communities shared their school spirit and hometown football stories throughout the season.

For Menasha, Wisconsin, though, the biggest celebration belongs to Menasha High School and the Bluejays — the 2026 Friday Night 5G Lights national grand prize winners.

What's Next For Friday Night 5G Lights?

The competition may be over for 2026, but another season is ahead.

Schools interested in participating next year can visit FridayNight5GLights.com to learn more, apply for the 2027 competition and get updates on Friday Night 5G Lights.

Congratulations, Menasha High School Bluejays! Visit FridayNight5GLights.com for more on Friday Night 5G Lights.

Looking for another way to get in on the fun? Use the tool below to upload a photo of your favorite local athlete or coach and watch them transform into a one-of-a-kind avatar — from game day hero to futuristic MVP and more.

This post is sponsored and contributed by a Patch Brand Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own.
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