The NFL announced today that the 2028 NFL Draft will take place in Minneapolis.
Exact dates were not announced, but historically the event has been held on the last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in April. If that pattern held, the event would take place on April 29 – May 1. But April 22-24 is also a possibility.
The rotating event has become a huge draw in recent years. Starting in 2015, when the Draft first left New York, the Chicago event drew about 200,000 fans. Since then, it has grown bigger and bigger, with Detroit and Pittsburgh drawing 775,000 and 800,000 fans, respectively, in 2024 and 2026. Even small market Green Bay saw 600,000 people show up in 2025.
The 2027 Draft will be held in Washington, D.C.
The event is generally free, but tickets for the actual draft venue are distributed by the teams, usually to VIP’s, corporate sponsors, and season ticket holders via a lottery. When further details are released, we’ll be sure to let you know.
Next Steps
If you think this is something you’d like to attend, the booking window for Minneapolis hotels is already open, so if you can find a refundable rate, it may be a strategic move to make a reservation and hold on to it. With the potential for hundreds of thousands of fans traveling to participate, hotel rates will very likely increase quite soon.
