NFL Draft Hosts: D.C., Denver, Buffalo Among Future Contenders

As Green Bay prepares to welcome 250,000 fans this week for the NFL Draft, several other cities across the country are continuing their efforts to land a future edition of the league’s premier springtime event.

Pittsburgh is set to host in 2026, but the draft’s location in 2027 and beyond is still undetermined. Here are the top contenders for the remainder of this decade:

• Washington, D.C.: Bid submitted for 2027
• Denver: Reported interest in 2027 or 2028, with the team telling FOS it continues to “monitor the feasibility of all NFL tentpole events.”
• Buffalo: Expression of interest sent for 2028 or 2029

Charlotte and Panthers officials have also previously mentioned interest in hosting a draft, but no bid has been submitted to date. 

In February, Minnesota Sports and Events president and CEO Wendy Williams Blackshaw told Front Office Sports that bringing a draft to Minneapolis was a “top priority” for the city, although she didn’t specify if a bid had been made or what years they were targeting. Harris County – Houston Sports Authority CEO Ryan Walsh told FOS the city has sent the NFL an expression of interest for hosting events in 2029 and 2030 and would be “excited for any opportunity, whether it’s combine, draft, or Super Bowl.” However, the primary focus is hosting another Super Bowl.

Lions president Rod Wood said this week he would like to see the draft return to Detroit, last year’s host site, as soon as possible.

NFL owners will likely vote on and announce the 2027 draft host city at their next league meetings in May.

Consolation Prize

As the NFL Draft plays out in Green Bay, and then Pittsburgh next year, the event continues to bring the league’s national spotlight to cities that are not likely contenders to host a future Super Bowl. 

Recent hosts in cold-weather cities like Kansas City (2023) and Cleveland (2021) won’t be considered for a Super Bowl without an enclosed stadium (which the Browns are vying for). Detroit most recently hosted Super Bowl XL in 2006 shortly after Ford Field opened, but it hasn’t vied for the Big Game since.

Draft-hopeful locales D.C., Denver, and Buffalo are also unlikely to host a Super Bowl. Although a new stadium in Washington could potentially change that. The Super Bowl is headed to the Bay Area in February, Los Angeles in 2027, and Atlanta in 2028.