The NFL announced Thursday that its 2027 Draft will be held in Washington, D.C., from April 29 through May 1, bringing the league’s marquee offseason event to the nation’s capital.
The three-day event will span multiple locations centered around the National Mall.
Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of club business, international and global events, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming event. “The NFL Draft continues to grow as one of our biggest and most accessible events, and we are excited to welcome fans and prospects to Washington, D.C., in 2027,” he said. “Our nation’s capital will provide an incredible, iconically American stage to host fans from around the world, as we celebrate the next generation of NFL stars.”
The 2026 Draft held in Pittsburgh drew a record-breaking crowd of more than 805,000 fans, setting an all-time attendance mark for the event. Commissioner Roger Goodell, when the Washington location was first announced in May, said he anticipates the D.C. draft could draw as many as 1 million attendees.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser welcomed the news, urging fans to begin planning early. “We are thrilled to welcome the 2027 NFL Draft to the Sports Capital,” she said. “We saw the enthusiasm from fans at this year’s Draft, and so, we want people to start planning their trips to D.C. now. We have world-class hotels and restaurants, spring is a beautiful time to be in D.C., and we’re a city that loves to celebrate sports. So, mark your calendars for April 29, and we’ll see you in D.C.”
Following the Washington event, Minnesota is slated to host the NFL Draft in 2028.
