The first deal between the two was signed in 1999.

The American sportswear giant has outfitted the US women’s softball through countless international competitions, including four Olympic Games and most recently at the 2023 U-15 Pan American Championship where the US made history, bringing home the gold medal in the inaugural event.

"For over 20 years, Nike has been an integral part of our Women’s National Team programme - providing our athletes with the items they need to feel comfortable and ready to perform on the biggest stages,” said USA Softball chief executive Craig Cress.

"As the largest athletic brand in the world, Nike’s commitment to our programme has allowed our athletes to take their game to the next level and represent our country with pride, both on and off the field. 

"We are thrilled to extend this partnership as we continue moving forward."

The US team is the most women's international softball history, taking the gold medal in consecutive straight Olympics and 12 World Championships, including the last three. 

America won the Olympic gold medal on softball's first three appearances in the Games at Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, where they held their opponents to only one run in seven matches. 

The team then won the Olympic silver medal at Beijing 2008 before the sport was dropped from the Games at London 2012 and Rio 2016.

It was restored at Tokyo 2020, where the US again had to settle for the silver medals, losing to Japan, just as they had done at Beijing 2008. 

Having been dropped from next year's Olympics in Paris, the World Baseball Softball Confederation is bidding to be added again to the programme for Los Angeles 2028, a Games which would be covered by the new deal with Nike. 

In 2022, the World Games featured a softball tournament for the first time since 1985, giving the Americans a chance to avenge their Olympic loss in Japan. 

A group of eight members who won the silver medal a year earlier were on the team as they defeated Japan 3-2 in the final.