Craig Peters

EAGAN, Minn.Minnesota is hoping to hear it is on the clock to host the 2028 NFL Draft.

Minnesota Sports and Events on Wednesday announced it has officially submitted a bid to host the 2028 NFL Draft in partnership with U.S. Bank Stadium and the Minnesota Vikings.

The announcement of the bid occurs less than a month before Pittsburgh hosts the 2026 NFL Draft (April 23-25). The 2027 event was awarded last May to Washington, D.C.

Minnesota Sports and Events is the region's sports commission responsible for attracting and supporting major sports and entertainment events across Minneapolis and St. Paul.

While U.S. Bank Stadium is proposed as the anchor for the multiday event, MNSE EVP of Business Development & Tourism Matt Meunier said the vision is for a "truly regional event."

"In terms of the location of the draft, the red carpet and all the ancillary events that go with hosting the draft, all those things are under evaluation by the league right now, so it's to be determined, but what we can say is TCO Performance Center is a really viable option," Meunier said. "Flag football, youth football is going to continue to be more prominent as it relates to the NFL and leaning into 2028 and the L.A. [Olympic] Games, so there's potential to stage some youth football and community legacy events out at TCO Performance Center, but in addition to that, every event Minnesota Sports and Events hosts, we're really intentional about staging events throughout the region and not just downtown [Minneapolis]."

Beyond the three days of selections, Meunier mentioned pre-event promotion "throughout greater Minnesota because we want this to be a Minnesota celebration and not just one, singular city."

"We want to unite everybody with this event," he added.

Vikings EVP of Public Affairs Lester Bagley said hosting the draft would build on the strong relationship between the team, community and league.

"The Vikings are vested and invested, and we will provide financial support, staff support and organizational energy," said Bagley before noting the potential economic and brand impacts for Minnesota.

The 2028 NFL Draft will be 10 years and a few months after Minnesota successfully and uniquely hosted Super Bowl LII in late January and early February of 2018.

If Minnesota is awarded the 2028 NFL Draft, it will complete the cycle through NFC North host cities since the league began moving the location of the draft from New York. Chicago hosted in 2015 and 2016. Detroit hosted in 2024, and Green Bay followed in 2025.

More than 750,000 fans from all 50 states and 20 countries attended the draft in Detroit, generating an estimated economic impact of $213.5 million. Last year, attendance exceeded 600,000 fans, resulting in an influx of more than $100 million to Green Bay.

MNSE President & CEO Wendy Blackshaw noted success achieved by Minnesota when hosting Super Bowl LII. Volunteerism and attendance for related events across the region drew acclaim.

"We are a great host market, and they know that," Blackshaw said. "This is a phenomenal opportunity for us, as well as for the NFL."

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