Pittsburgh Makes Progress on 2026 NFL Draft Theater and Stage
The city of Pittsburgh is getting ready to host the 2026 NFL Draft. The draft will take place from April 23rd to 25th. VisitPittsburgh, the Steelers, and the NFL are partnering to host various activities free of charge that fans of all ages can enjoy. Approximately 500,000 to 700,000 fans are expected to attend the draft. This year’s NFL Draft will span Pittsburgh’s North Shore and Point State Park. Prior to this year, the last time the NFL Draft was held in Pittsburgh was 1947.
Acrisure Stadium is getting upgrades. Construction for the draft is already underway in the North Shore area. Progress is being made on the NFL Draft Theater and Stage, which will be just outside of Acrisure Stadium. The official Steelers website states, “According to the NFL, the structure weighs almost 1.5 million pounds with 1.4 miles of truss. It will include over 2,700 automated lighting fixtures as part of the full construction of all areas of the theater, which includes the green room, and the theater will have 1,317 LED video panels.” According to BVM Sports, “Construction of the Draft Theater is substantially complete, with an impressive scope of the structure visible.”
Steve Farago, the NFL’s director of event operations, estimates that hundreds of crew members, both local and NFL event production partners, are involved in the construction and assembly of the draft stage. Farago spoke about the draft theater and stage. He remarked, “It’ll be nice and bright. It’ll almost feel like a permanent structure. You’ll feel like you’re in a venue that maybe already existed. It’s pretty phenomenal what we’re able to build there.” According to Farago, the stage will be approximately 100 feet long, and the theater's structure will be more than 200 feet in length.
The headline acts for the free NFL Draft Entertainment Series, which is sponsored by Bud Light, have been announced. Pittsburgh natives Wiz Khalifa and Bret Michaels will perform on Friday, April 24th. Country music star Kane Brown will perform on Saturday, April 25th. Khalifa and Michaels shared their excitement about performing at the event. Khalifa said, “Coming home to Pittsburgh for the draft is pretty special. This city raised me, and the energy here is different. Being back with the fans and representing the city in a moment like this just feels right.” Michaels said, “I cannot be more honored, excited, and fired up to be asked to perform at the Pittsburgh 2026 Draft on Friday night. As a Pittsburgh native and a diehard fan of the Steelers, the NFL, and all things Pittsburgh, this is a dream come true.”
