T‑Mobile Takes Friday Night 5G Lights to a Whole. New. Level: More Winners, More Ways to Win and $4M in Total Prizes Up for Grabs

T-Mobile announced the return of Friday Night 5G Lights, the game-changing competition turning high school football into a nationwide celebration of hometown pride.

Last season, nearly 1,750 high schools from all 50 states brought unmatched energy and creativity, rallying their communities and the nation. Magenta was everywhere — football jerseys, signs and even hair — as small towns nationwide repped T-Mobile and showed off their school spirit on and off the field. Students called on celebrities like Jennifer Garner, Jamie Lee Curtis and Matthew McConaughey to hype up their schools. Entire towns packed stands, cheering their hearts out. Millions of votes poured in.

In the small town of Inola, Oklahoma, home to less than 2,000 people, students at Inola High School hustled so hard, they called every other school in the state (that’s over 1,700!) and even traveled to Oklahoma City to drum up support, ultimately winning the grand prize.

After a wildly successful debut, the 2025 season promises to be even bigger, with more winners, more prizes and more chances for small towns to shine on a national stage.

“Last year, we saw what happens when small towns get the spotlight they deserve, and the response blew us away,” said Jon Freier, President, T-Mobile Consumer Group. “So this year, we’re turning it up. We’re shining a bigger spotlight with Friday Night 5G Lights so more communities can share what makes them special and get the support they need to bring their vision to life.”

This year’s competition is putting over $4 million in total prizes on the line:

Beyond the competition, T-Mobile customers can get in on the action and score a Friday Night 5G Lights water bottle on July 29 and a stadium bag on Aug. 26 through T-Mobile Tuesdays.

To help make this year’s competition even louder and prouder, three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes is joining the fun alongside returning ambassador Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski, as well as top college athletes and high school football heroes.

“Growing up in a small town in Texas, I know what high school football means to these communities and how much love the players, parents and fans have for the game,” said Mahomes. “This competition is all about recognizing that heart and giving these communities the kind of support they deserve.”

“Friday nights are about so much more than just football to small towns. They’re about community, tradition and pride,” said Gronkowski, four-time Super Bowl champ. “We saw so much passion and dedication last year with Friday Night 5G Lights, that we knew we had to take things further this time around. The energy is electric, and I can’t wait to see what these schools do.”

High schools in U.S. towns with populations under 150,000 are eligible to apply. Authorized school officials, including teachers, coaches or administrators can submit an entry on behalf of their school at FridayNight5GLights.com. Submissions must include a short story or essay about why their school deserves an Un-carrier-style transformation for their football field.

Applications open today and will be accepted through Sept. 12. Any school that signs up will automatically be entered for a chance to win $5,000 in our “$5K Fridays” sweepstakes running each week of the application period, with 100 winners selected in Week 1 and 50 winners in each of the following seven weeks.

A panel of judges will select 25 finalists based on community impact, need, creativity and more. Public voting runs from Sept. 25 to Oct. 24, and anyone in the country can vote once per day through FridayNight5GLights.com. Finalists may also earn bonus votes by completing weekly “Social Plays” posted on the Friday Night 5G Lights website.

The grand prize winner will be announced on Oct. 30.

Friday Night 5G Lights is just one part of T-Mobile’s larger effort to connect every corner of the country. Since 2020, America’s Best Mobile Network has: