The NFL is expected to award the 2028 draft to Minneapolis during its quarterly meetings this week, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday. A formal announcement is likely to come Tuesday following a vote by owners.
Local organizers led by the Minnesota Sports & Events (MSE) commission submitted a bid in March for the event, which the NFL has turned into a traveling offseason showcase. This year's draft in Pittsburgh drew a record 805,000 fans across the three days, according to the league, an averaged 13.2 million viewers on television and digital platforms.
Speaking in March to local reporters, MSE officials painted their bid in broad strokes. Matt Meunier, executive vice president of business development & tourism, said that U.S. Bank Stadium would be a "foundational piece" of the draft footprint. There is also a 4.2-acre park adjoining the stadium, known as The Commons.
Weather in Minnesota can still be cold when the draft is held in late April, and Meunier said the league had asked MSE to "lean into" the stadium itself as part of its proposal. Wendy Blackshaw, president and CEO of MSE, estimated that the draft would bring between $100 million and $200 million in economic impact to the region.
"We believe the NFL draft represents a fantastic opportunity to energize our downtown," Meunier said, "drive demand, and generate economic impact that wouldn't be here if not for the NFL draft to our community, especially the hotel and hospitality community, our workforce, our business community. We just really want to position Minnesota on a global and national spotlight."
The 2027 NFL draft is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C.
