‘Energy, Hospitality. Pride’: Minneapolis Named To Host 2028 NFL Draft, Activities
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 03:12PM By Barry Janoff
Photo: Minnesota VikingsMay 19, 2026: Stating that “Minnesota knows how to show up for big moments,” the NFL said that Minneapolis and the surrounding region would host the 2028 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light.
The 2028 Draft will be hosted in partnership with the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Sports and Events and will take place in downtown Minneapolis, with activations anchored around U.S. Bank Stadium.
Dates for the three-day Draft were not released, but likely will be scheduled for late April.
"Minnesota knows how to show up for big moments, and we've experienced it firsthand,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said via the league.
“Working with the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Sports and Events, we look forward to bringing the 2028 NFL Draft to this great community, driving positive economic impact throughout the region, and hosting an incredible event for fans and the next generation of the NFL."
Minneapolis will host a schedule of Draft activities, including a variety of community events, the NFL Draft Entertainment Series presented by Bud Light and the NFL Draft Experience free fan festival.
The 2027 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will take place in Washington, D.C.
“For three days, Minnesota will become the center of the football world,” Vikings owner/president Mark Wilf said via the team.
“The 2028 NFL Draft will give us an opportunity to showcase not just U.S. Bank Stadium, but the energy, hospitality and pride that define Minneapolis-St. Paul and the entire state and region. We have no doubt the community will deliver a world-class event that is unique to Minnesota.”
Although numbers can vary depending on the city and cost to put on the event, the economic impact of the NFL Draft over the past few years has been substantial.
Wendy Williams Blackshaw, president and CEO of Minnesota Sports and Events. estimated via the organization that that it could bring between $100 million and $200 million in economic impact to the region.
This past April, the 2026 Draft in Pittsburgh set a NFL Draft attendance record with 805,000 people, with VisitPITTSBURGH estimating the city will make between $120-$200 million in revenue from the event.
For the Green Bay NFL Draft in 2025, the economic impact report released by Experience Greater Green Bay — the tourism research and education nonprofit that engaged Sportsimpacts to conduct the study — and the NFL said 600,000 people attended over three days, 
Held April 24-26, 2025, in and around Lambeau Field and the Titletown campus, it “far exceeded projections . . . driving total economic impact in Brown County to $72,917,186 — more than $50 million over the original $20 million projection. Statewide, the total economic impact reached $104,789,486, surpassing the initial $94 million estimate by over $10 million”
The NFL Draft in Detroit in 2024 held the then-record for the three-day event, with more than 700,000 people in attendance. Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission released a report that found the Draft generated $213.6 million in economic impact for the city.
In 2019, Nashville hosted the NFL Draft set a then-record 605,000 attendance that generated $224 million in economic impact, according to the NFL and Tennessee Titans. That was one of the major reasons Nashville was named today to host Super Bowl LXIV in February 2030.
"The 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville was one of the greatest fan events in our history,” Goodell said via the league. “Super Bowl LXIV at the new (Nissan) Stadium is the next step in this remarkable football journey..”
When Washington DC as named as host for the 2027 Draft, Goodell said via the league, “We believe we'll have well over a million people when we come here," It's expected to take place on the National Mall.
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