DC Hosts Historic NFL Draft
NFL Confirms 2027 Draft Dates for Washington D.C., Returning to Capital Since 1941
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Key Points
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Schedule breakdown by rounds: Round 1 is set for Thursday, April 29; Rounds 2–3 on Friday, April 30; and Rounds 4–7 on Saturday, May 1.
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Past draft attendance figures cited by the league include more than 805,000 fans at the Pittsburgh draft and more than 600,000 at the Green Bay draft in 2025, underscoring the event’s large scale.
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Trump involvement in planning history: In May 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the 2027 draft would be staged in Washington, D.C., in an Oval Office ceremony with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
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Historical context on draft venues: The NFL draft was previously a staple at Radio City Music Hall in New York before 2015, and Washington will mark the next era of rotating host cities after that era (including a DC stop that hadn’t occurred since 1941 at the Willard Hotel).
The NFL officially confirmed on June 25, 2026, that the 2027 Draft will take place April 29 through May 1 in Washington, D.C., with the main stage set on the National Mall directly in front of the U.S. Capitol NFL.com. It will be the first time the draft has come to the nation's capital since 1941, when it was held at the Willard Hotel ljworld.com.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expects the event to draw more than 1 million visitors, which would shatter the all-time record of 805,000 fans set at the 2026 Pittsburgh Draft Sports Illustrated. All three days will feature free fan activities open to the public.
Three Days, Seven Rounds Across the National Mall
Round 1 kicks off Thursday, April 29. Rounds 2 and 3 follow on Friday, April 30. Rounds 4 through 7 wrap up Saturday, May 1 Head Topics. The draft theater sits on the National Mall facing the Capitol, while the NFL Draft Experience fan zone will stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd and 7th Streets Associated Press.
NFL EVP Peter O'Reilly said the event will include "free activities available for fans, including interactive games, immersive exhibits, and photos with the Vince Lombardi Trophy" NFL.com. Extra event elements will spread across the broader Mall grounds to handle the projected million-plus crowd.
Trump Oval Office Ceremony Launched the Washington Bid
On May 5, 2025, President Donald Trump hosted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the White House to announce D.C. as the host ljworld.com. Trump called the National Mall an "iconically American stage" and described the draft as a "celebration of one of our country's most cherished cultural institutions" CBS News.
Harris, who drove the bid, called Trump the "ultimate Commander" and gave him a custom jersey at the ceremony Forbes. Mayor Bowser called D.C. the "Sports Capital" and said the draft's arrival lines up with the city's push to bring the Commanders back to a new stadium at the RFK site WJLA.
Record Crowds at Pittsburgh and Green Bay Set the Bar High
The 2026 Draft in Pittsburgh drew 805,000 fans over three days, setting an all-time record KDKA-TV. The 2025 Draft in Green Bay pulled in more than 600,000, matching Nashville's 2019 mark Sportsnet. Detroit's 2024 event drew 775,000. Each city has raised expectations for the next host.
Round 1 of the 2026 Draft alone drew more than 13 million TV viewers nationally MSR Media. Goodell believes the D.C. setting, with the Capitol as a backdrop, will push both attendance and viewership to new highs. Recent host cities have also seen economic activity exceed $200 million per event.
Minneapolis Is Next in 2028, Cincinnati Eyes 2029 Slot
Owners voted at the NFL Spring League Meeting in May 2026 to award the 2028 Draft to Minneapolis, anchored around U.S. Bank Stadium Vikings.com. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey promised the city would "throw a party that is no exception" to its track record with major events.
Cincinnati holds the "inside track" for 2029, with the Cincinnati Regional Sports Commission submitting a formal letter of interest to the league Cincinnati Enquirer. The city has floated the Union Terminal and Cincinnati Museum Center as potential scenic backdrops for the draft stage.
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