Millions In Prizes Up For Grabs: Is Your High School Football Team Next?

T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights is back for the 2026 season, giving high schools across the country another chance to share their stories, rally their communities and compete for millions of dollars in prizes.

Last season, more than 2,000 schools from towns of 150,000 people or fewer entered the nationwide competition. A total of 450 schools received $5,000 through $5K Fridays and 25 finalists each won $25,000.

Dierks High School in Arkansas ultimately took home a grand prize worth more than $1 million after securing nearly 2 million votes. Located in a town of fewer than 900 people, the school rallied students, families, businesses and supporters across the state to help bring home the win.

This year, T-Mobile is going even bigger, with more than 1,000 schools set to win!

Eyes On The Prize: What Your School Could Win

Millions of dollars in prizes are up for grabs during the 2026 season, including:

• 1,000 schools will each receive $5,000 through the $5K Fridays Sweepstakes
• 4 standout social media video posts will win a $5,000 Spotlight School award.
• 40 finalists will earn a place on the Division Bracket in the West, East, Midwest and South, with each team scoring $25,000 for their school plus a T-Mobile Home Game Celebration.
• 4 Division Champions schools, one from each division will rise to win $250,000, a Gronk Fitness gym (valued at $90,000) and "The Big Deal" student leadership award prize of $5,000.
• 1 lucky finalist will win “Fan Favorite” as voted on by T‑Mobile employees to receive an extra $25,000.
• 1 grand prize winner will receive a $1 million football field upgrade.

Schools are encouraged to apply as early as possible to take advantage of additional $5K Fridays Sweepstakes drawings and give their communities more time to rally behind their school.

How To Enter

Applications are open through Sept. 18 for individual high schools located in towns with populations of 150,000 or fewer.

An authorized school representative must submit the application on the school's behalf. Eligible representatives include football coaches, athletic directors, principals, superintendents and other authorized school officials.

Parents and booster clubs cannot apply directly, and only one application may be submitted per school.

Schools will need to provide basic information, including the school's name and address, tax ID and primary contact information. The application also asks for photos of the football field, stadium, school logo, school spirit and areas in need of an upgrade.

Applicants must also submit a written response of up to 700 words explaining why the school needs an upgrade and how it would benefit students and the community. T-Mobile’s How To Win guide includes tips for telling your school’s story, showing school spirit and getting the community involved.

Returning schools that applied in 2024 or 2025 may be able to reuse and update their previous applications. Schools can save their progress and return before submitting, but applications cannot be edited once they have been submitted.

Check out the Friday Night 5G Lights playbook for application details, eligibility requirements, key dates and ideas to help your school stand out.

Turn Up The Team Spirit With $5K Fridays

Once a school’s application has been validated, it will automatically be entered into the $5K Fridays Sweepstakes.

Students, teachers, parents, alumni and other community supporters can help their school earn additional entries by posting photos or videos on Instagram or X.

Each qualifying post should:

• Tag @TMobile and the school’s social media account
• Include the hashtags #FN5GL and #Entry
• Highlight school pride, community involvement or the impact an upgrade would have

Each correctly tagged post counts as one entry, and entries roll over from week to week.

Social media participation is not required to enter the contest or compete for the grand prize. However, every eligible Instagram or X post counts as an additional entry into the $5K Fridays Sweepstakes.

New this year, fans can also participate in the Get In The Game With Gronk AR experience by taking an augmented reality selfie with Gronk and sharing it on Instagram or X. Each eligible post counts as another sweepstakes entry.

Circle These Dates: The 2026 Game Plan

• Application period: April 9 through Sept. 18
• $5K Fridays Sweepstakes: April 9 through Sept. 18
• First $5K Fridays winners announced: Aug. 7
• Top finalists voting period: Oct. 8 through Nov. 8
• Grand prize winner announced: Nov. 12

Ready to rally your community? Visit FridayNight5GLights.com to review eligibility requirements and submit your school's application before the Sept. 18 deadline.

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.