President Donald Trump and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Monday that the 2027 NFL draft would be held at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as the nation’s capital prepares for the Washington Commanders, formerly Redskins, to return to the district.
The National Mall is home to iconic American monuments and memorials. Trump was joined by Goodell, D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for the announcement in the Oval Office.
“The draft is a celebration of one of our country’s most cherished cultural institutions and the annual highlight for football fans everywhere,” Trump said. “Everyone in the world is going to be watching.”
“Not only are these announcements great for the NFL, but they also advance the mission of making Washington D.C. safe and clean and beautiful,” the president added.
.@POTUS: "Not only are these announcements great for the NFL, but they also advance the mission of making Washington D.C. safe and clean and beautiful. We're working very closely with the Mayor — and we've made a lot of improvements in the last few months… Crime is way down." pic.twitter.com/Yt0BUcG6v2
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2025
Goodell said that he believes the draft in D.C. will draw more than one million people over three days, adding, “The draft has become one of the great entertainment and sports events.”
“It will not just be an event. It will be something that will show the world how far the nation’s capital has come and where it’s going,” the NFL commissioner said.
For decades, the NFL draft was held at different venues in New York City, but beginning in 2015, the league allowed cities to bid on hosting the draft, an event that now draws hundreds of thousands of people. Last year, Detroit set the record with 775,000 people coming to the three-day event, generating more than $200 million for the city’s economy. The 2025 draft in Green Bay last month drew an estimated 600,000 fans.
Professional football is making a comeback in the nation’s capital as the Commanders will return to playing within the district’s borders in 2030. The team is also led by Jayden Daniels, an exciting young quarterback who took Washington to the NFC championship game last season. The team appears poised to be a serious contender for years to come. Last week, the Commanders, alongside D.C. Mayor Bowser, announced the construction of new domed stadium in the district, built on the site of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, where the Redskins played for 36 seasons before moving to Prince George’s County, Maryland, in the late 1990s.
Trump previously called the new stadium deal a “HUGE WIN for Washington, D.C., and for the Team’s incredible fan base.”
“It will also boost Economic Development, create more Jobs and, hopefully, lead to less Crime in the area,” he added. “We are making Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN, one step at a time!”
