Meet The Top 40 Schools Competing For A $1 Million Home Field Upgrade

T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights competition is putting high school football communities across the country in the spotlight, with more than $8 million in prizes available throughout the 2026 season and a $1 million home field upgrade waiting for one grand prize winner.

Now, the Top 40 schools are set.

Forty high schools have advanced as Division Finalists, with 10 schools each competing in the West, Midwest, South and East divisions. And with voting officially underway, fans can help decide which schools move one step closer to the grand prize.

You can vote once every day through Oct. 25 for the school of your choice.

40 Schools, 4 Divisions, One Big Prize

Friday Night 5G Lights is all about hometown pride — the students, families, neighbors and fans who show up for their schools and help tell their communities’ stories.

This year’s 40 Division Finalists are spread across four divisions:

●West: 10 schools

●Midwest: 10 schools

●South: 10 schools

●East: 10 schools

Visit FridayNight5GLights.com to see the Top 40 schools, check out the divisions and cast your vote.

What The Finalists Have Already Won

Reaching the Top 40 is already a major win. Each Division Finalist will receive $25,000 for their school plus a T-Mobile Home Game Celebration.

But there’s still much more up for grabs.

The school with the most votes in each division will become a Division Champion. Each of the four Division Champions will receive:

●$250,000

●A Gronk Fitness gym, valued at $90,000

●“The Big Deal” Student Leadership Award, worth $5,000

There’s another prize in the mix, too: T-Mobile employees will vote for a Fan Favorite school to receive an additional $25,000.

And ultimately, one school will take home the biggest prize of all: a $1 million home field upgrade.

How To Make Your Vote Count

Whether you’re cheering for a hometown favorite, an alma mater or simply a school whose story stands out, you can help shape what happens next.

Fans can vote for the school of their choice every day through Oct. 25 at FridayNight5GLights.com or through the T-Life app, with a valid mobile phone number.. The school with the most votes in each division will advance as a Division Champion.

Supporters can also show their Friday night pride on social media by tagging their chosen school and @TMobile and using #FN5GL and #Entry.

Fans can also join the fun with the Get In The Game With Gronk AR experience, where they can pose with Gronk in augmented reality and share their school spirit.

What Happens Next?

Division Finalist voting runs through Oct. 25. After one school from each division advances, the four Division Champions will move on to the next round of voting from Oct. 29 through Nov. 8.

From there, one school will be crowned the national Friday Night 5G Lights grand prize winner, with the winner set to be announced Nov. 12.

Ready to cast your vote? Visit FridayNight5GLights.com to meet the Top 40 and vote for the school of your choice every day through Oct. 25.

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.