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Former Minnesota Vikings tight end Stu Voigt announces the team’s selection with the 102nd overall pick during the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The draft runs through April 26. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Minnesota Aims to Host the 2028 NFL Draft in Minneapolis

Originally posted on Minnesota Vikings on SI
By Joe Nelson | Last updated Mar 25, 2026 8:34 AM ET

Minnesota officials are pushing hard to host the 2028 NFL Draft, and leaders of Minnesota Sports & Events (MSE) say they have submitted a bid to host the three-day event in downtown Minneapolis.

Matt Meunier, director at MSE, said U.S. Bank Stadium would be a "foundational piece of that footprint."

Wendy Blackshaw, chief executive officer of MSE, indicated that the draft would be funded mainly through corporate money, though specific details have not been disclosed. When Green Bay hosted the draft in 2025, it required a $7.5 million budget to develop infrastructure and promotion for the event. About $2 million in public funding was approved by state lawmakers, while the rest came from the Packers and private donations.

More than 600,000 people attended the three-day draft in Green Bay, and huge crowds are expected at the draft in Pittsburgh next month. The 2027 draft will be held, likely at the National Mall, in Washington, D.C.

About 10 months ago, KSTP-TV's Darren Wolfson reported that Minnesota was pushing hard to host the draft in 2029.

"Speaking of the draft, 2029, that is the aim for the Vikings hosting the draft in downtown Minneapolis,"Wolfson said. "The Vikings are pushing very hard. 2029. It wouldn't be in Eagan. My understanding is it would be in downtown Minneapolis."

Hosting the draft could provide an economic boom to the state. The economic impact in Brown County, home to Green Bay, was estimated at $72.9 million, more than $50 million over the $20 million projection. Statewide, Wisconsin's economic impact was $104.7 million.

The NFL stopped holding the draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City after the 2015 event. Since then, the draft has been held in Chicago (twice), Philadelphia, Arlington, Nashville, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Detroit, and Green Bay.

To host the draft, cities must submit a bid, which is then selected by a vote of the 32 NFL owners.

Minneapolis successfully hosted the Super Bowl in 2018 despite a frigid airmass swallowing Minnesota in early February. Fortunately, the weather is usually much nicer in the Twin Cities in late April.