title: Softball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
text: Women's softball made its first appearance as an official medal sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics.  The competition was held at historic Golden Park in Columbus, Georgia, United States.  Final results for the Softball competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics:
  
  Medalists
  
  Participants
  
  Competition format
  Eight teams competed in the Olympic softball tournament, and the competition consisted of two rounds. The preliminary round followed a round robin format, where each of the teams played all the other teams once. Following this, the top four teams advanced to a Page playoff system round consisting of two semifinal games, and finally the bronze and gold medal games.
  
  Group stage
  
  The top four teams advanced to the semifinal round.
  
  July 21
  
  July 22
  
  July 23
  
  July 24
  
  July 25
  
  July 26
  
  July 27
  
  Medal round
  The loser of 1&2 seed game played the winner of the 3&4 seed game in the bronze medal match. The loser of the bronze medal match won the bronze medal while the winner went on to play the winner of the 1&2 seed game for the gold medal in the gold medal match.
  
  Semi finals
  
  Bronze medal match
  Winner advanced to gold medal match. Loser won bronze medal.
  
  Gold medal match
  
  Final team standings
  
  References
   Official Olympic Report
  
  1996 Summer Olympics events
  1996
  Olympics
  1996 in softball
  Softball competitions in the United States
  Women's events at the 1996 Summer Olympics