NFL Draft headed to Washington, D.C. in 2027: Nation’s capital to host event for first time in 86 years

For the first time in more than 85 years, the NFL Draft is going to be headed to Washington, D.C. During an event at the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump announced that the District of Columbia will host the 2027 draft. 

That’s the earliest that the draft could be held in D.C. because the NFL has already tabbed Pittsburgh as the host city for the 2026 NFL Draft. The Commanders had been targeting the 2027 draft for over a year and their dream is now going to be become a reality.

“The NFL Draft has become a marquee event, uniting fans across the country and around the world,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We are excited to bring the 2027 draft to Washington, D.C., a city rich in history and national pride.”

Goodell and Commanders owner Josh Harris were also in attendance at Monday’s event, where the NFL revealed what the draft setup might look like. One advantage that Washington has over other cities is its unique setup, and the NFL plans to take advantage of that. The staging area for the draft is expected to be held at the National Mall. 

This will mark the first time that the nation’s capital has hosted the NFL Draft since December 1940, which means by the time April 2027 rolls around, D.C. will have gone 86.5 years without a draft. For you trivia buffs out there, the Chicago Bears selected Tom Harmon with the No. 1 overall pick the last time Washington hosted. 

Denver was believed to be the only other city in the running to host the 2027 event

This is the second big announcement from the Commanders in just seven days. Back on April 28, the team unveiled plans for a new $3.7 billion stadium project that will be constructed at the old RFK stadium site in D.C. where the Commanders played from 1961 to 1996. If the Washington city council approves the plan, the new stadium could open in time for the 2030 season. 

Once the stadium is complete, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hinted that the Commanders will likely end up hosting a Super Bowl. 

The Commanders were once a floundering organization, but things have turned around dramatically since Josh Harris bought the team for $6.05 billion from Dan Snyder in July 2023. 

With the draft in the nation’s capital, D.C. could have a chance to break the attendance record for a draft, which was set in 2024 when 775,000 people attended the three-day event in Detroit. A total of 600,000 fans attended the 2025 draft, which was held in Green Bay. Goodell thinks the D.C. draft could see as many as one million visitors, which would smash the record. 

The draft was held in New York for 49 straight years (1965-2014) before the NFL decided in 2015 to annually give the event a new home.