PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh resulted in record attendance, global exposure and significant community impact across the region, according to VisitPITTSBURGH.
Preliminary data released Thursday show that the event drew 805,000 attendees across the Draft weekend, making it the largest event in NFL history.
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The 2026 NFL Draft set an all-time day one attendance record with 320,000 fans and garnered more than 55 million viewers worldwide and 14.8 billion PR impressions. The 2026 NFL Draft Week also became the most socially viewed Draft on record, with attendees from 105 countries represented across NFL OnePass registrants.
“We could not be prouder of how Pittsburgh welcomed the football world,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said. “From the energy throughout the draft footprint to the hospitality across our neighborhoods, the event reflected the passion and pride that define our city and region. We are grateful to our public and private partners whose collaboration helped deliver a safe and memorable draft experience to the thousands of fans in attendance, as well as a lasting impression of our beautiful city for the millions of fans who tuned in from around the world.”
Spread across the city
Pittsburgh’s hospitality sector experienced significant activity, with Downtown Pittsburgh achieving 92% hotel occupancy on peak nights, VisitPITTSBURGH says. Countywide, peak hotel occupancy reached 85%, and the average countywide hotel occupancy during the event period was 75%.
Transportation systems and visitor operations functioned efficiently, despite the crowds in Downtown and the North Shore. Pittsburgh Regional Transit riders utilized public transit, with 485,000 rides, a 51% increase compared to average ridership. Football Flyers supported 60,000 rides and The T supported 128,000 rides. The Gateway Clipper also transported a record 26,500 passengers via river transportation more than 74 trips and 240 hours of operation by a 10-person crew.
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Additionally, 45,000 fans visited Steelers Country in Point State Park and 26,000 draft postcards were distributed.
The PicksBURGH Draft Day 5K saw 2,775 runners and walkers participate.
Public safety efforts, coordinated by local, state and federal agencies, marked the largest such undertaking in recent history, with no serious incidents reported. The Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS responded to 229 calls for service, with 45 hospital transports. Pittsburgh police reported two arrests and one citation. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire responded to one fire related to hot grill ashes and had 0 hazardous materials incidents.
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“The success of an event of this size shows that we can host big events and Pittsburgh has great resources here to coordinate and prepare for them,” Mayor Corey O’Connor said. “Every city agency played a role from public safety to public works to IT, and I’d like to thank them and all of the partner agencies for working around the clock to maintain a clean, safe and welcoming experience for the hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors who attended.”
Engaging the community
Community impact highlights included planting 800 new trees across the region through 2027, installing 400 hanging flower baskets, and supporting 420 street planters Downtown.
Approximately 59,720 pounds of food were rescued and redistributed to 15 nonprofits, mitigating 146,550 pounds of carbon.
A new multi-purpose youth sports field, U.S. Steel Community Field, in Hazelwood had a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This field represents a $25 million investment in the Hazelwood neighborhood.
Also, 150 students participated in a health and wellness expo, and 80 Special Olympics athletes joined a football clinic with NFL prospects.
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Two townhomes in Larimer received construction support, and 91 local schools received NFL Flag-in-School kits, reaching more than 50,000 students.
More than $1 million was raised to fight hunger in Western Pennsylvania, and 90 students from local colleges and universities engaged in a dialogue on sports’ power to unite communities.
Furthermore, 1,000 shelter hygiene kits and 1,000 first aid kits were packed and distributed to three community organizations supporting the homeless community.
A record-setting Hands-Only CPR event certified 1,293 individuals. On-site PSA blood testing and educational resources were provided to 42 men for prostate cancer awareness.
A collaboration between the Master Builders’ Association (MBA) and the NFL resulted in a Technical Career Fair. This program, the first time the NFL engaged in workforce development and education outreach tied to building trades, allowed 140 students from seven area schools to gain real-world exposure to skilled trades and connect with MBA members. The day also emphasized “Women Who Run Construction,” highlighting women in building trades.
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“Pittsburgh proved that Pennsylvania is on the rise during the 2026 NFL Draft, delivering a world-class event and showcasing the city at its best to hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions of people around the world,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said. “My administration was proud to work with local leaders to pull off an incredibly successful event and took advantage of this opportunity to promote everything our Commonwealth has to offer, breaking ground on three new and revitalized public spaces – Arts Landing, Market Square and Point State Park – and hosting business leaders and CEOs to drive economic momentum. We are going to continue to invest in this City and ensure Pittsburgh remains a vibrant, prosperous, welcoming destination for residents, businesses and visitors for years to come.”
A boon for business
The NFL Draft Source Program generated opportunities for local and diverse businesses from across the 10-county southwestern Pennsylvania region. The program included 164 participating businesses, resulting in more than 100 local contracts, with 64% awarded to local diverse businesses and 63% to Draft Source Program members.
Additionally, $17.7 million was spent directly with Pittsburgh-based businesses. More than $500,000 was spent with over a dozen local concessionaires within the Draft footprint, who kept 100% of their revenue. The NFL OnePass Guide to Pittsburgh featured more than 100 local businesses.
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“From the very beginning, we wanted this Draft to create meaningful opportunities for local businesses and communities,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said. “The Source Program helped ensure that Pittsburgh area companies and entrepreneurs directly benefited from one of the biggest events ever hosted in our region.”
The draft’s success relied on thousands of teammates and volunteers. Preliminary totals show 2,775 volunteer roles filled, 1,148 paid teammates supporting operations and 310 community volunteers participating.
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