Upcoming NFL Draft dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Where to stand at the draft, and whether to pay
General access to the NFL Draft grounds has been free, first come, first served, so your real decision is where to stand. Pick a spot with a clear line to a large video board and a view of the stage, rather than pushing to the front, where the crowd ahead blocks your sightline. The event itself is how NFL teams choose incoming players: seven rounds spread over three spring days, held outdoors in a new city most years.
- Best for most fans: a spot near a big screen with an angle on the stage.
- Loudest: the area right in front of the stage, packed tight when the host team or a big fan base is on the clock.
- Worth paying for: only a specific area or hospitality you want, since no ticket is needed to be on the grounds.
Night one, day two, day three compared
Opening night (round one)
Expect the largest crowd and the most television staging, plus long gaps, because teams have the longest clock per selection in this round. To get near the stage, show up by mid-afternoon.
Second day (rounds two and three)
Picks come faster and the crowd is still big, but you can move around. For many fans this is the sweet spot.
Final day (rounds four to seven)
Normally held in daylight with selections flying by. Fewer people, shorter lines at festival attractions, and the most relaxed day for kids.
Free grounds vs. paid packages
Entry to the grounds, the crowd areas in front of the stage and the surrounding festival, which the league has lately called the NFL Draft Experience, has been free. Some years have required advance registration; see the NFL draft page for whatever the current steps are.
Money buys closeness and comfort:
- Hospitality packages: premium draft packages come from On Location, the league's hospitality arm. By fall 2026 the 2027 priority-access presale was gone, with what is left offered first to people who registered.
- Controlled areas near the stage: the closest zone is normally restricted, separate from the free crowd areas.
Before paying for any draft listing, pin down three things: the day, the exact area, and whether seats or food come with it. If you do buy through Reserved Seat, every order carries a 100% guarantee.
Washington in 2027, Minneapolis in 2028
- 2027: Washington, D.C., from April 29 through May 1, with the stage set on the National Mall and pointed toward the Capitol. Announced on May 5, 2025, it brings the draft back to the capital for the first time since 1941; organizers have projected more than a million attendees, and ESPN, ABC and NFL Network carry it.
- 2028: Minneapolis got the nod on May 19, 2026. As of October 2026, the league had not yet named dates or a specific site.
On the Mall, expect road closures and security screening on the scale of other major events in the capital, and plan to arrive by transit.
What Detroit, Green Bay and Pittsburgh taught visitors
Recent drafts have drawn crowds larger than many cities:
- Detroit, 2024: downtown's Campus Martius and Hart Plaza held a then-record crowd of over 775,000.
- Green Bay, 2025: the stage went up on Oneida Street, backed by Lambeau Field. League estimates put the crowd near 600,000 in a small city that closed its schools for two days, shut streets and ran close to zero hotel vacancy.
- Pittsburgh, 2026: April 23 to 25, outside Acrisure Stadium and in Point State Park, with a reported record of 805,000 over three days and 257 selections.
The lessons carry over:
- Book a room early, or stay outside the core and ride transit in.
- Dress for late April outdoors, which can bring rain or cold in northern cities.
- Expect screening. The league publishes bag rules for each draft site and they can change by city; check them before you go.
Reading the room: jerseys, trades and the broadcast
This is a fan party first. Jerseys are everywhere, every pick and trade draws a reaction, and the host team's fans usually set the mood. Between selections, the festival keeps people busy, and its no-cost zones have stayed open every day of the event.
First-timers should keep TV or radio coverage running on a phone. On stage you only hear a name read out; the coverage tells you why a team traded up or what a pick means, which makes the live reactions far easier to follow.
Ninety years of picking players
The idea came from Bert Bell, then a co-owner of the Eagles, who wanted the league's weaker clubs to get first crack at new talent. The first draft was held in a Philadelphia hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, on February 8, 1936. Teams made 81 picks across nine rounds, and just 24 of those players took the field in the NFL that year.
- 1965 to 2014: half a century in New York City, much of it inside Radio City Music Hall.
- 2015: Chicago became the first host outside New York in half a century, holding the opening rounds in a downtown theater and pairing them with Draft Town, a free Grant Park festival that pulled roughly 200,000 visitors.
- The road years: after a second Chicago draft in 2016, the event visited Dallas (2018), Nashville (2019), Cleveland (2021), Las Vegas (2022), Kansas City (2023), Detroit (2024), Green Bay (2025) and Pittsburgh (2026).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a ticket to attend the NFL Draft?
Not to get onto the grounds; general access has been free. Some years required advance registration, so look up the current steps before you go.
Where is the best place to stand at the draft?
Somewhere with a big screen in front of you and an angle on the stage. The very front is crowded enough that the people ahead block most of what you came to see.
Is the first night of the draft worth the crowds?
For pure atmosphere, yes, though it is also the slowest and most crowded day. Families usually do better on the final day.
What dates and location are set for the 2027 NFL Draft?
The National Mall in Washington, D.C., from April 29 through May 1, 2027, with the stage oriented toward the Capitol.
What do paid draft packages add?
On Location sells premium hospitality packages with closer access and extras. Contents vary by year, so read exactly which day, area and amenities a listing covers.
Which city hosts the draft in 2028?
Minneapolis, chosen on May 19, 2026. Exact dates and the location within the city had not been announced as of October 2026.