Pittsburgh Selected to Host the 2026 NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is heading to the Steel City! Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home to the six-time Super Bowl champion Steelers, has been selected as the host city for the 2026 NFL Draft. This marks a full circle moment for the city and its namesake team, as the beginnings of what would become the first NFL Draft took place in 1936 at the first Player Selections Meeting at the Fort Pitt Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.
“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.”
The three-day event is expected to draw representatives from all 32 NFL teams, top player prospects from the most iconic college conferences in the country, and hundreds of thousands of devoted fans. Throughout the three-day event, Pittsburgh will host a slate of Draft activities, including a variety of community events, Concert Series presented by Bud Light, and NFL Draft Experience – the NFL’s ultimate fan festival.
“We are excited that the City of Pittsburgh has been selected to host the 2026 NFL Draft,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement. “This will be an amazing event that will highlight everything the region has to offer on a national and international level. I truly appreciate the work that has been done by VisitPITTSBURGH, the NFL, local and state officials, and internally within our organization to accomplish our goal of being selected to host the NFL Draft. We look forward to football fans from all across the country coming to enjoy our city’s culture while also showcasing our rich football history and tradition in the region.”
The NFL Draft marks a full circle moment for the city and its namesake team, as the beginnings of what would become the first NFL Draft took place in 1936 at the first Player Selections Meeting at the Fort Pitt Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.
“Pittsburgh is honored to have been named the host city for the 2026 NFL Draft,” Mayor Ed Gainey said in a statement. “This once in a lifetime opportunity will allow us to showcase our city to an international audience, and it will give us a chance to say to our global fanbase, come on home to Pittsburgh. We are excited for everyone to see the transformation that has taken place, and to see Pittsburgh as more than the City of Champions, but a place where everyone is safe and welcome. A city where everyone has a chance to thrive, and where football erases the boundaries of our 90 neighborhoods, and we become one city, united, to cheer on our beloved Steelers.”
The 2026 NFL Draft will likely take place on the outskirts of Acrisure Stadium, where the Steelers have called home since 2001. Pittsburgh’s NFL home games have been played where the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers meet since 1970, beginning with the iconic Three Rivers Stadium, which sat right next to Acrisure Stadium before it was demolished in 2001.
“Being awarded the 2026 NFL Draft is a testament to Pittsburgh’s rich football legacy and a renowned recognition of our city’s vibrant culture and welcoming spirit,” said Jerad Bachar, President & CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH. “Momentum for Pittsburgh as the 2026 host city is only just beginning, and we look forward to working alongside our regional partners to plan and execute a world-class event that rolls out the black and gold carpet for football fans from across the country and around the world.”
