Steelers, City of Pittsburgh submitting official bid to host 2026 or 2027 NFL Draft
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers and the City of Pittsburgh will submit an official bid with the NFL to host the league's 2026 or 2027 Draft.
"We have submitted our indication to the NFL office of the Steelers' and City's desire to host either the 2026 or 2027 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh," Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said in a statement provided to KDKA-TV.
"We believe our city will be an excellent host to showcase the great history that connects Western Pennsylvania to the early roots of professional football and the evolution of the game through the decades. The NFL Draft will draw hundreds of thousands of fans and out-of-town visitors, and we look forward to working with local and state officials and community leaders to ensure we craft a successful bid to host the 2026 or 2027 NFL Draft."
Earlier this year, Visit Pittsburgh officials spoke with KDKA Money Editor Jon Delano about how the city is an 'ideal destination.'
For over 50 years, the draft was always in New York City. But in recent years, the draft has moved to different cities.
Up until now, the Steelers had never submitted a bid to host.
The NFL has already selected host cities for the 2024 Draft in Detroit and 2025 Draft in Green Bay.
The financial side of hosting the draft events would be significant, with around 300,000 to 400,000 people likely to be in the city over the weekend and an economic impact of around $130 million.
VisitPittsburgh representatives traveled to Kansas City earlier this year to note how the events were put on from a logistical perspective.
The Post-Gazette reports that the plan would be to have the draft on the North Shore near Acrisure Stadium and Stage AE.
The draft is held annually in late April.
NFL Vice President of Communications Brian McCarthy told the Post-Gazette that the league won't announce the location for the 2026 Draft until the league's owners meet in May.
Stay with KDKA-TV and KDKA.com for more on this developing story.
