Nike plans 1,400 layoffs, with tech teams hit hardest

Nike plans to cut about 1,400 jobs, with most of the layoffs expected in its technology operations, as the sportswear giant tries to rebound after a prolonged sales slump.

The company disclosed the cuts Thursday in a note to employees from Chief Operating Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy. The reductions will affect workers in North America, Europe and Asia, according to the memo.

Nike operates a technology office in San Francisco, where it develops digital products, but it did not specify the locations affected.

"This is not a new direction," Alagirisamy wrote. "It is the next phase of the work already underway."

The cuts represent less than 2% of Nike's global workforce, which totaled about 77,800 employees, according to the company's most recent annual report. The changes are part of its "Win Now" strategy to streamline operations and better position itself for growth, Nike officials said

The move adds to a series of recent layoffs. Nike cut about 775 jobs in January, largely at U.S. distribution centers, and reduced corporate staff last year as it began reshaping the business.

The world's largest sportswear company has been trying to regain its footing after several uneven quarters. CEO Elliott Hill has refocused efforts on performance outerwear and sped up product development after a stretch of weaker sales tied in part to earlier strategic missteps.

Last month, Nike warned that sales are likely to continue declining through the rest of the year, including an anticipated 20% drop in China during the current quarter - a key market where the brand has struggled to regain momentum.

The restructuring goes beyond technology. Nike said it is overhauling parts of its operations, including its Air manufacturing, streamlining some Converse footwear work closer to its factory partners and folding elements of its materials supply chain into its footwear and apparel teams.

"Collectively, these changes will result in a reduction of approximately 1,400 roles in global operations, with the majority in technology," Alagirisamy wrote. "These reductions are very hard for the teammates directly affected and for the teams around them, too."

Nike said employees affected by the layoffs would begin receiving notifications Thursday.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 7:05 PM.