Report: Cincinnati has 'inside track' to hosting 2029 NFL Draft
Cincinnati has the inside track to host the 2029 NFL Draft, according to multiple sources cited by the Sports Business Journal. The NFL is considering awarding hosting rights further in advance due to the event's growing scale and popularity. Cincinnati previously considered bids for earlier years but shifted focus to 2029.
- ▪Minneapolis-St. Paul is the leading candidate to host the 2028 NFL Draft.
- ▪The NFL events committee will meet next week, with a vote expected at the May 19-20 owners' meeting in Orlando.
- ▪Pittsburgh set a new NFL Draft attendance record with 805,000 spectators in April 2026.
- ▪Cincinnati's The Banks development was designed with large public events in mind.
- ▪Commissioner Roger Goodell indicated the league may allocate drafts further in advance due to increasing demand.
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