The 2026 NFL Draft will take over Pittsburgh from April 23 to April 25, and the city is already getting ready to handle it. The draft stage will sit on the North Shore, outside Acrisure Stadium, while the NFL Draft Experience fan festival will be at Point State Park. The Roberto Clemente Bridge will close to car traffic so fans can move between the two areas on foot.
Pittsburgh Public Schools is also making a major shift for safety and order. Schools will move to remote learning from April 22 through April 24. Students will work asynchronously, which means they will complete assignments on their own schedule. Staff will also work remotely, and school buildings and parking lots will have limited access.
Advertisement
MORE: 2026 NFL mock draft: Ohio State takeover & only 1 QB
Superintendent Wayne Walters said per Pittsburgh’s Public Store, the move is meant to “maintain continuity of learning while recognizing the extraordinary circumstances the city will experience during the NFL Draft.”
Students with IEP and 504 plans will still receive support, and students at Conroy and Pioneer Education Centers will learn live online. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams were also rescheduled.
Advertisement
Pittsburgh Public Schools will be closed for three days and will switch to remote learning because of the NFL Draft.
With a large number of visitors expected, the goal is to keep students learning safely and effectively.
The draft is expected to draw 500,000 to 700,000… pic.twitter.com/r8hxhsrD2S
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 20, 2026
City and regional officials are preparing for a huge crowd. They expect 500,000 to 700,000 visitors across the three-day event, per Front Office Sports. That means road closures, tighter security, parking restrictions, and heavy traffic in and around downtown. Pittsburgh Regional Transit is expanding bus and light rail service during the draft, helped by $350,000 from a nonprofit tied to VisitPittsburgh. Hotels downtown have already sold out, and many rates have gone above $1,000 a night.
The draft has become one of the biggest annual sports events in the country. Last year it was held in Green Bay, and Pittsburgh is now set to feel the same kind of pressure, only on a larger city scale.
Advertisement
—Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead—
MARCH MADNESS:Predicting March Madness upsets in the 2026 NCAA Tournament
NFL DRAFT:New Mel Kiper NFL mock draft shows major impact of free agency
MLB:Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani’s spring training pitching debut
NHL:Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl out for regular season with lower-body injury
ENTERTAINMENT:Is ‘Bachelorette’ still airing amid Taylor Frankie Paul domestic dispute allegations?
VIRAL:Livvy Dunne shares ‘Baywatch’ training with BTS swimsuit, set photos