Minnesota has been chasing the NFL Draft for years, and the Vikings might be close to finally getting it.
The franchise is making a serious push to host the 2028 event after spending the better part of six years building relationships and making their case to league officials.
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Team executives have been attending recent drafts regularly since 2019, staying visible and keeping lines of communication open with the NFL to show they’re serious about bringing the draft to Minneapolis.
That groundwork shifted into high gear this week when the Vikings officially submitted their bid to host in 2028, which ESPN’s Kevin Seifert confirmed Wednesday.
The Vikings have partnered with Minnesota Sports and Events, the same organization that helped secure Super Bowl LII for the city after the 2017 season. The window for 2028 opened up naturally.
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Pittsburgh is set to host the 2026 draft from April 23-25, and Washington, D.C. was already awarded the 2027 event last May.
The NFL typically decides on future host cities during ownership meetings held in the spring or summer. League owners have two upcoming meetings scheduled, March 29 in Phoenix and May 19 in Orlando, Florida, where a decision on 2028 could surface.
A general view inside the stadium during the national anthem before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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Landing the draft would mark a full-circle moment for Minnesota. The city hosted Super Bowl LII in early 2018, so the 2028 draft would arrive roughly a decade later. It would also wrap up a clean rotation through the NFC North, with Chicago hosting in 2015 and 2016, Detroit in 2024, and Green Bay in 2025.
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Recent drafts have drawn massive crowds, according to Craig Peters of Vikings.com. Detroit pulled in over 750,000 fans from all 50 states and 20 countries, generating around $213.5 million in economic impact. Green Bay topped 600,000 attendees and brought in more than $100 million.
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