Football fans in the nation's capital have seen the revitalization of the NFL exponentially expand in their city over the past two years.
First, Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder sold the team to Harris Group CEO Josh Harris (also the owner of Philadelphia 76ers) in 2023 after a tumultuous 24-year tenure. Then, after drafting Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels in the 2024 draft, the Commanders found themselves in the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1992.
That newfound glory has earned the franchise (and the city) some league-wide favor and in 2027, it will all come to a head. On Monday, President Donald Trump was joined by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington, DC mayor Muriel Bowser, Harris and other officials in the White House's Oval Office to announce that in two years time the NFL Draft will take place in the nation's capital.
3 biggest logistical issues facing the 2027 NFL Draft in Washington, DC
Washington hasn't hosted the NFL Draft since 1941 when it was held in the Willard Hotel. The Chicago Bears held the No. 1 overall pick and selected halfback Tom Harmon out of Michigan. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson was also available but ultimately went undrafted (perhaps for the best!).
Two years from now, if quarterback Caleb Williams doesn't pan out like the No. 1 overall pick he was hyped as in 2024, the Bears could be repeating history. This time, however, Goodell will be calling out the names of college prospects from a stage constructed in the space between the Capitol Building and Washington Monument on the National Mall, as announced by Trump on Monday.
It won't be the first time the space will host a large event but even so, there are some massive issues the city and federal government will have to address in the interim.
1. Space on the National Mall & crowd control
The National Mall has seen thousands of people descend upon it for presidential inaugurations and the annual Fourth of July fireworks but can it handle the crowds expected for an event hosted by the country's most popular league?
Over 600,000 people attended the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin over the course of three days. At least that many can be expected to travel to Washington. For context, the largest recorded event in the city's history was an estimated 800,000 people who attended the Million Man March in 1995, according to PBS.
The city and Congress (the National Mall is federal property) will have to come up with a sufficient plan to handle the influx of fans from around the country. Whether that means everyone is spread out down the two-mile stretch of grass or overflow areas are designated at nearby sites like Capital One Arena, it's going to be tough to pack that many fans close enough to the stage when the Mall is only 300 feet wide.
2. Traffic & public transportation
For those that aren't already local to the Washington, DC area (known colloquially as the DMV), traffic is abysmal with commuters and tourists taking up space on the highways. Now add the draft to that mix in April - prime spring break season for school trips to the capital - and there's going to be a congestive combination.
The sheer volume of people that will make the pilgrimage won't entirely be funneled to the roads, however. Washington is known for its public transportation systems... just not always in a positive context. The Metro (WMATA) is the area's subway system, sprawling across downtown and into the surrounding Virginia and Maryland suburbs. On top of that, there are multiple bus lines that traverse the streets and highways for cheap fares.
That being said, both methods are known for inefficiencies and delays. Train cars and buses are already packed with said commuters and tourists, so there's bound to be a volume concern there too. It can also be inferred that fans along the I-95 corridor (New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Carolina) could utilize national rail like Amtrak to arrive.
3. Costs
If fans are thinking of making the trip to see their favorite teams select future super stars, they better begin booking accommodations now. The DC-Maryland-Virginia area is notoriously one of the most expensive places to live in the country (housing costs are 140 percent higher than the national average).
Smart homeowners will be listing their properties on places like Airbnb and Vrbo in order to entice fans to stay in suburbs instead of booking local hotels. But the expenditures of fans will not be the only bill come due for the massive event.
Washington, D.C.'s budget is controlled by the U.S. Congress, meaning politics will weigh heavy on how much will be spent to prepare the city for the NFL Draft. Lawmakers could address those specific appropriations in a budget package during this session of Congress (119th) or immediately after the 120th Congress is seated post-2026 midterm elections.
No matter what course of action is taken, there are many steps and multiple hurdles that need to be cleared before the league's renderings of a glamorous event are brought to fruition.