Hit a Home Run with FAFSA: ABOR and Cactus League launch fourth year of ticket giveaway

For the fourth year in a row, eligible Arizona high school seniors can score up to four free tickets to a Cactus League spring training game by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a home run incentive made possible through a strong partnership between the Arizona Board of Regents and the Cactus League.

Eligible Arizona high school seniors who complete the 2026–27 FAFSA and meet all promotion requirements will receive two to four complimentary tickets to a Cactus League spring training game of their choice. To participate, students must be part of Arizona’s high school graduating class of 2026, complete the 2026-27 FAFSA and submit a ticket request form through the board’s college readiness portal, CollegeReadyAZ.com. Participants will be able to choose from a variety of spring training matchups across all Cactus League ballparks. Tickets and game days are subject to availability. Tickets are limited to select games, and some blackout dates do apply.

Students can request their Cactus League tickets here. 

“FAFSA is a game changer that opens doors to the financial aid students need to pursue education after high school,” said ABOR Chair Doug Goodyear. “Our relationship with the Cactus League continues to make a real difference. We are grateful for their partnership as we work to expand opportunities for students across our state.”

Since 2022, the board’s partnership with the Cactus League has helped boost FAFSA completion rates while highlighting two major economic and cultural drivers in the state. 

“There’s nothing like Cactus League baseball in the Arizona sunshine, and we are excited to team up with ABOR to provide that experience for students who complete their FAFSA," said Cactus League Executive Director Bridget Binsbacher. “Through our partnership with the board, we are proud to help strengthen our state’s workforce and ensure more students have the tools they need to succeed.” 

During the 2025–26 FAFSA cycle, a record number of students requested tickets through the promotion, resulting in the distribution of more than 4,500 free tickets and helping Arizona reach its 40% FAFSA completion goal among the high school senior class of 2025. This achievement placed Arizona sixth in the nation for year‑over‑year improvement.

Building on that momentum, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced a statewide goal of 48% completion for the Arizona high school class of 2026 at the board’s FAFSA and College Readiness Symposium last fall. As of Jan. 12, 2026, 29.94% of Arizona public high school seniors have completed the form.

Completing the FAFSA remains one of the strongest indicators of whether students enroll in a postsecondary institution immediately after high school. Students who complete the FAFSA are 84% more likely to enroll in postsecondary education immediately after high school. For low-income students, FAFSA completion is linked to a 127% increase in immediate college enrollment. 

The FAFSA form provides access to federal and state grants, scholarships and work-study programs that make education more affordable. In recent years, Arizona students have missed out on hundreds of millions of dollars in Pell Grant funding by not submitting the application.

To ensure students and families have the tools, resources and support they need to complete the FAFSA, the board’s college‑readiness portal, College Ready AZ, makes it simple to plan for and apply to one of Arizona’s public universities. FAFSA resources available at College Ready AZ include:

• Virtual one-on-one appointments
• Ask Benji, a FAFSA-dedicated chat bot
• Arizona FAFSA hotline
• FAFSA toolkits, resources and guides
• Schedule of in-person FAFSA workshops and support
• Arizona College Connect (an innovative tool ABOR provides for high school educators to track FAFSA completion)