Record Heat Fails to Deter Cactus League Fans in 2026

Despite experiencing record-breaking temperatures, attendance figures for the 2026 Cactus League spring training season continued their upward trend. This marked the fifth consecutive year that overall attendance has increased for the Arizona-based baseball event.

Officials confirmed that a total of 1,753,849 spectators attended the 237 spring training games held this year. This figure represents a notable 3.4% increase compared to the attendance numbers recorded in the previous season.

Opening Day Success and Heat Wave Challenges

The start of the 2026 spring training season saw its largest Opening Day turnout since 2018. That year, nearly 40,000 fans attended the four games played across the Valley.

The day with the highest single-day attendance occurred on Friday, March 20, even as Phoenix endured a significant heat wave. Temperatures soared to 105°F in Phoenix that Friday.

Despite the extreme conditions, over 78,000 fans attended nine games that day. Eight of those scheduled contests required rescheduling to later in the day to mitigate the impact of the intense heat.

Team Performance and Weather Notes

The Chicago Cubs led the league in overall attendance figures. They averaged 12,644 fans per game hosted at Sloan Park.

Sloan Park also hosted the single largest crowd of the entire 2026 season during the Cubs' matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, March 15.

The Chicago White Sox experienced the most significant year-over-year growth, reporting a 12.9% surge in attendance from the prior season. Furthermore, Mother Nature cooperated relatively well, as there were no rain-outs recorded for the first time since 2022.

Economic Impact and Participating Teams

The 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons saw suppressed attendance figures due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Major League Baseball lockout.

Spring training was projected to generate nearly $953 million in tourist revenue for the Valley economy this year. Because the Cactus League stadiums are geographically dispersed, the economic benefits reach almost every local community.

Fifteen MLB franchises participate in spring training in the Valley. These teams include:

  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • Chicago Cubs
  • Chicago White Sox
  • Cincinnati Reds
  • Cleveland Guardians
  • Colorado Rockies
  • Kansas City Royals
  • Los Angeles Angels
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Milwaukee Brewers
  • The Athletics
  • San Diego Padres
  • San Francisco Giants
  • Seattle Mariners
  • Texas Rangers

The final, audited figures detailing the total economic impact of the 2026 spring training are still pending release.