The softball mecca of the world resides in the capital of Oklahoma

For several decades now, Oklahoma City has been America's softball hub.

Oklahoma's capital is home to the USA Softball Hall of Fame. Since 1990, it's hosted every NCAA Women's College World Series. The USA Softball International Cup -- formerly the World Cup of Softball -- was established there in 2005.

But in a couple of years, Oklahoma City will officially become the softball capital of the world -- assuming it hasn't already clinched that title.

The upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics will officially be held in Los Angeles -- the third time the city has hosted the modern Olympic Games -- and for only the sixth time, softball will be included as an event.

But while every Olympic baseball game will be held within Los Angeles limits (at Dodger Stadium, in fact) the city lacks adequate softball facilities to host a tournament of this magnitude.

Enter Devon Park.

Located within the aforementioned USA Softball Hall of Fame complex, Devon Park has been the home of every event mentioned above at one time or another. With a capacity of 13,000 fans (and three additional fields located within the complex), it's the largest softball stadium in the world, and soon enough, it'll be even bigger.

The ballpark has undergone several renovations over the years, reflecting its ever-growing significance to the softball world -- most recently in 2020, 4,000 more seats were added.

In advance of its biggest event yet, a new round of updates will add new locker rooms, two new indoor practice fields to allow for both teams to have private pregame space, and new areas for sports medicine and performance facilities and administration offices.

The modifications are coming in light of the Olympics, but the true intention for those involved is to ensure the state of Oklahoma – and its capital in particular – remains synonymous with softball for many years to come.

“We want this to be a premier softball performance training facility that continues to grow the softball community nationally,” Oklahoma City Public Works Director Debbie Miller said back in June. “Our goal is for this to be designated as a United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee training site and to help secure Oklahoma City as the home of the NCAA Women’s College World Series beyond 2035.”

Although the new facilities likely won't be unveiled at least until 2027, in the meantime, it'll be business as usual in Oklahoma City. Next on the calendar: the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group Stage, this year serving as an Olympic trial by another name, will take place at Devon Park in September.