The 2026 NFL Draft has been awarded to the Steel City.
On Wednesday, the NFL announced that the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the 2026 NFL Draft.
“The NFL Draft is one of the biggest, most-anticipated sporting events of the year, and we’re thrilled to partner with the Pittsburgh Steelers and VisitPITTSBURGH for our 2026 event,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We have a unique opportunity to spotlight this wonderful community on a global stage, benefiting Pittsburgh’s economy and entertaining football fans from all markets. We know this pride of Pennsylvania will shine bright in 2026.”
Pittsburgh last hosted the draft in 1948 when it took place at the Fort Pitt Hotel and didn’t feature hundreds of thousands of fans in attendance.
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The Steelers submitted an application to host the draft in February for either 2026 or 2027. Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro said landing the event in 2026 would fit with the state’s celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday.
Also happening in the state in 2026 to coincide with the United States’ Semiquincentennial is the MLB All-Star Game, PGA Championship, NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the FIFA World Cup. All will take place in Philadelphia, while the golf tournament will take place nearby at Aronimink Golf Club.
“I think it’d probably be the biggest visitor event in the history of the city. And so it’s very exciting,” Steelers president and owner Art Rooney II said in February. We think, where Pittsburgh is located, not only will we have thousands of Steeler fans, but we’d have thousands of fans from all of the NFL cities that are that are, within a 500 mile radius of Pittsburgh.”
There were reportedly 10 teams interested in landing the 2026 draft.
This year’s draft was hosted by the Detroit Lions and broke the draft attendance record with over 700,000 fans taking it all in over the course of the weekend.
The NFL will bring the 2025 draft to Green Bay’s Lambeau Field and Titletown district from April 24–26, 2025.
