Next month, Pittsburgh will take center stage to host the 2026 NFL Draft.
In 2027, the scene shifts to Washington, D.C., where the event will be held on the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol.
What’s next? It might be back to the Midwest.
Minnesota Sports and Events announced on Wednesday that it has officially submitted a bid to host the 2028 NFL Draft in partnership with the Vikings and U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
The Vikings’ home stadium would serve as the hub for the event, according to the proposal.
“Hosting the NFL Draft would be a defining moment for Minnesota — not just as a world-class event, but as a global showcase of who we are,” Minnesota Sports and Events President and CEO Wendy Blackshaw said, via CBS News. “We’ve proven we can deliver on the biggest stages, and this bid reflects both our ambition and our confidence in what this region can offer. At the same time, opportunities like this reinforce the importance of establishing a sustainable, long-term funding model, so Minnesota can remain competitive for events of this scale in the future.”
Vikings EVP of public affairs Lester Bagley said in the team’s announcement that the organization is “vested and invested, and we will provide financial support, staff support, and organizational energy.”
Minnesota last hosted a tentpole league event in February 2018 with Super Bowl LII, in which the Eagles defeated the Patriots to cap the 2017 season. Minneapolis hosting would mean all four NFC North cities would have had a draft, as Chicago has hosted multiple times, Detroit hosted in 2024, and Green Bay hosted in 2025.
Buffalo has also previously submitted a bid to host the draft in 2028.
