One week after agreeing to a deal to lure the Washington Commanders back into the city, the District of Columbia received more good news — it will host the 2027 NFL draft, a source familiar with the situation confirmed to ESPN on Sunday night.
An official announcement is expected at the White House on Monday. The draft is expected to be held on the National Mall, where the Washington Monument stands. Axios first reported the news.
The draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh next year, has become a huge draw. Green Bay attracted more than 600,000 fans for the three-day event last month. Detroit established a record attendance with 750,000 in 2024.
The draft began rotating cities in 2015.
Washington hosting the draft for the first time continues the momentum for the city and franchise.
The Commanders, floundering under previous owner Dan Snyder, have transformed themselves under majority owner Josh Harris. He bought the team in July 2023 and watched the franchise go from 4-13 in his first year to 12-5 and the NFC Championship Game this past season under first-year general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn.
Also, quarterback Jayden Daniels became one of the league’s most dynamic players as a rookie.
Washington announced a deal April 28 that would bring the organization back to the stadium site it called home from 1961 to 1996. The nearly $4 billion deal for a new stadium — with the Commanders footing $2.7 billion — still must be approved by the D.C. Council.
Multiple sources familiar with the situation have expressed optimism that the deal will be approved, but some have said it will take more work to get the seven votes necessary.
At an event announcing the agreement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said a new stadium would “dramatically” increase the district’s odds of eventually hosting a Super Bowl.
“I really do think this community could be a great host for a Super Bowl,” Goodell said. “The [new] stadium is always the missing piece.”
