HARRISBURG, Pa. – Governor Josh Shapiro announced his support of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ recent bid to host the 2026 or 2027 NFL Draft.
Since 2015, the NFL has hosted its annual player selection process in cities across the nation, including Philadelphia in 2017. If selected for the 2026 or 2027 draft, the Steel City could see more than 350,000 visitors and a boost of over $100 million in direct spending into Pennsylvania’s economy.
Tourism is one of the largest and most important industries in Pennsylvania, generating over $76 billion a year and supporting more than 486,000 jobs across the Commonwealth. VisitPittsburgh estimates that if chosen to host the draft, Pittsburgh would see an economic impact between $120 million and $160 million.
“As the birthplace of America – and as we prepare to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday in 2026–the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be a central hub of economic activity over the next several years, and we would be honored for the NFL Draft to be a centerpiece of these celebrations,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Today, Pittsburgh has established itself as one of the most dynamic cities on the East Coast–and the birthplace of professional football; Pittsburgh is the best choice in the country to host the NFL Draft. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is excited and ready to work together to host this historic draft and show the country what Pennsylvania is all about.”
In 2026, Pennsylvania will host a number of premier national and international events to highlight the United States of America’s 250th birthday, including the MLB All Star Game, the FIFA World Cup, NCAA March Madness, and the PGA Championship.
From Pittsburgh’s hospitality and entertainment industries to their state parks, trails, and outdoor recreation businesses–tourism serves as a powerful economic engine, giving Pennsylvanians more opportunities to pursue their passion, support their families, and succeed.
That’s why Governor Shapiro’s Economic Development Strategy–the first of its kind in nearly two decades–prioritizes the tourism industry and adopts a new marketing strategy to showcase all that Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth have to offer. This strategy builds on the Shapiro Administration’s work to make Pennsylvania a leader in innovation and economic development and to create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.
Governor Shapiro believes it’s not enough to talk about it, we have to make real investments in our tourism industry and in our small businesses. Governor Shapiro’s 2024-25 budget proposal calls for an $18 million increase in funding for tourism and business marketing to help attract more visitors to Pennsylvania and help the industry they support. The Governor’s budget also calls for a $25 million investment in the Main Street Matters program tosupport small businesses; and $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge to incentivize regional growth.
The Governor’s letter of support for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bid to host the NFL Draft, which he sent to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, can be read in full here.
You can read Pennsylvania’s first economic development strategy in nearly 20 years here.
For more information on how the Governor’s proposed budget will create opportunity for all Pennsylvanians, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.
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