The concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to network functions virtualization (“NFV”) leveraging unified traffic management and real-world event planning. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a virtual network traffic management system (“VNTMS”) can receive, via a traffic congestion monitor, from a virtual network function (“VNF”), a traffic congestion indicator that includes a traffic congestion state indicative of network traffic congestion experienced by the VNF. The VNTMS can analyze the traffic congestion indicator to determine a traffic management action to be taken to alleviate at least a portion of the network traffic congestion experienced by the VNF, and instruct a traffic congestion action responder to provide the traffic management action to the VNF.