NFL Sets 2027 Draft for April 29-May 1 in Washington

The NFL announced on Thursday that the 2027 draft will run April 29 through May 1 in Washington, D.C. The league said the National Mall will serve as the main stage in front of the Capitol, with the NFL Draft Experience stretching along Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 7th Streets.

Additional activities will be placed around the Mall footprint. Free events will include interactive games, exhibits and photo opportunities with the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The three-day format mirrors recent drafts.

The league previously held the event in Pittsburgh in 2026 and Green Bay in 2025. Washington last hosted the draft in 1941 at the Willard Hotel. The league moved the event out of Radio City Music Hall in New York beginning in 2015.

Trump announced on May 5, 2025, that the 2027 draft would be held on the National Mall. He was joined at the time by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Commanders controlling owner Josh Harris and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. The 2028 draft is scheduled for Minneapolis.

" — Peter O'Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business, international and global events The league reported record attendance of more than 805,000 fans at the 2026 draft in Pittsburgh and more than 600,000 at the 2025 draft in Green Bay.