The World Bowls Championship is the premier world bowls competition between national bowls organisations.

First held in Australia in 1966, the World Outdoor Bowls Championships for men and women are held every four years. From 2008 the men's and women's events were held together. Qualifying national bowls organisations (usually countries) are represented by a team of five players, who play once as a single and a four, then again as a pair and a triple. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each of the four disciplines, and there is also a trophy for the best overall team — the Leonard Trophy for men and the Taylor Trophy for women.^[1] Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland compete as one combined Irish team.

The 2020 event was postponed twice and scheduled for 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However following continual issues surrounding the pandemic the Championships were officially cancelled on 9 March 2021. Furthermore, it was decided that the World Championships would take place every two years starting in 2023. This also resulted in the fact that qualifying events for the Championships were no longer required meaning the Atlantic Bowls Championships and Asia Pacific Championships were terminated.^[2]

Year	Venue	Singles Gold	Pairs Gold *	Triples Gold *	Fours Gold *	Team Champion
1966	Sydney, Australia	David Bryant	Geoff Kelly, Bert Palm	John Dobbie, Athol Johnston, Don Collins	Bill O'Neill, Gordon Jolly, Ron Buchan, Norm Lash	Australia
1972	Worthing, England	Maldwyn Evans	Eric Liddell, Saco Delgado	Dick Folkins, Clive Forrester, Bill Miller	Peter Line, Ted Hayward Cliff Stroud, Norman King	Scotland
1976	Johannesburg, South Africa	Doug Watson	Bill Moseley, Doug Watson	Kevin Campbell, Nando Gatti, Kelvin Lightfoot	Kevin Campbell, Bill Moseley, Nando Gatti, Kelvin Lightfoot	South Africa
1980	Melbourne, Australia	David Bryant	Peter Rheuben, Alf Sandercock	David Bryant, Tony Allcock, Jimmy Hobday	Omar Dallah, Eric Liddell, George Souza, Philip Chok	England
1984	Aberdeen, Scotland	Peter Belliss	Skippy Arculli, Jim Candelet, George Adrain *	Jim Baker, Sammy Allen, Stan Espie	Tony Allcock, John Bell Julian Haines, George Turley	Scotland
1988	Auckland, New Zealand	David Bryant	Peter Belliss, Rowan Brassey	Phil Skoglund, Morgan Moffat, Ian Dickison	Jim Baker, Sammy Allen, John McCloughlin, Rodney McCutcheon	England
1992	Worthing, England	Tony Allcock	Alex Marshall, Richard Corsie	Cecil Bransky, Lawrence Mendelsohn, Leon Bluhm	Angus Blair, Willie Wood, Alex Marshall, Graham Robertson	Scotland
1996	Adelaide, Australia	Tony Allcock	Sammy Allen, Jeremy Henry	George Adrain, Willie Wood, Kenny Logan	John Bell, Andy Thomson, David Cutler, Brett Morley	Scotland
2000	Johannesburg, South Africa	Jeremy Henry	Alex Marshall, George Sneddon	Peter Belliss, Rowan Brassey, Andrew Curtain	Will Thomas, Robert Weale, Stephen Rees, Mark Williams	Australia
2004	Ayr, Scotland	Steve Glasson	Ryan Bester, Keith Roney	David Peacock, Willie Wood, Jim McIntyre	Jim Baker, Neil Booth, Noel Graham, Jonathan Ross	Scotland
2008	Christchurch, New Zealand	Safuan Said	Gary Lawson, Russell Meyer	David Peacock, Willie Wood, Wayne Hogg	Gary Lawson, Russell Meyer, Richard Girvan, Andrew Todd	New Zealand
2012	Adelaide, Australia	Leif Selby	Alex Marshall, Paul Foster	Graeme Archer, Darren Burnett, David Peacock	Aron Sherriff, Mark Casey, Brett Wilkie, Wayne Ruediger	Australia
2016	Christchurch, New Zealand	Shannon McIlroy	Aaron Wilson, Brett Wilkie	Robert Paxton, Andy Knapper, Jamie Walker	Ali Forsyth, Blake Signal, Mike Kernaghan, Mike Nagy	New Zealand
2020	Gold Coast, Australia	cancelled due to COVID-19
2023	Gold Coast, Australia	Ryan Bester	Gary Kelly, Adam McKeown	Carl Healey, Aron Sherriff, Corey Wedlock	Aron Sherriff, Carl Healey Aaron Teys, Corey Wedlock	Australia
2025	Hong Kong, China

* Jim Candelet was taken ill during the pool stages and had to withdraw from the championships. As the USA did not have an available substitute the organisers allowed George Adrain, a reserve with the Scottish team, to take his place for the rest of the tournament.

Year	Venue	Singles Gold	Pairs Gold	Triples Gold	Fours Gold	Team Champion
1969	Sydney, Australia	Gladys Doyle	May Cridlan, Elsie McDonald	Kathy Bidwell, Yetta Emanuel, Sara Sundelowitz	May Cridlan, Kathy Bidwell, Yetta Emanuel, Sara Sundelowitz	South Africa
1973	Wellington, New Zealand	Elsie Wilkie	Dot Jenkinson, Lorna Lucas	Cis Winstanley, Noeleen Scott, Irene Foote	Cis Winstanley, Verna Devlin, Noeleen Scott, Irene Foote	New Zealand
1977	Worthing, England	Elsie Wilkie	Helen Wong, Elvie Chok	Enid Morgan, Margaret Pomeroy, Joan Osborne	Merle Richardson, Lorna Lucas, Connie Hicks, Dot Jenkinson	Australia
1981	Toronto, Canada	Norma Shaw	Nan Allely, Eileen Bell	Lena Sadick, Rae O'Donnell, Linda King	Eileen Fletcher, Gloria Thomas, Mavis Steele Betty Stubbings, Irene Molyneux*	England
1985	Melbourne, Australia	Merle Richardson	Merle Richardson, Fay Craig	Mavis Meadowcroft, Norma Massey, Dorothy Roche	Frances Whyte, Annette Evans, Elizabeth Christie, Sarah Gourlay	Australia
1988	Auckland, New Zealand	Janet Ackland	Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan	Dorothy Roche, Marion Stevens, Greeta Fahey	Dorothy Roche, Norma Wainwright, Marion Stevens, Greeta Fahey	England
1992	Ayr, Scotland	Margaret Johnston	Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan	Frances Whyte, Janice Maxwell, Joyce Lindores	Senga McCrone, Frances Whyte, Janice Maxwell, Joyce Lindores	Scotland
1996	Leamington Spa, England	Carmen Anderson	Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan	Hester Bekker, Barbara Redshaw, Jannie de Beer	Daphne Shaw, Margaret Sumner, Marilyn Peddell, Gordana Baric	South Africa
2000	Moama, Australia	Margaret Johnston	Joyce Lindores, Margaret Letham	Anne Lomas, Sharon Sims, Patsy Jorgensen	Anne Lomas, Sharon Sims, Patsy Jorgensen, Jan Khan	England
2004	Leamington Spa, England	Margaret Johnston	Jo Edwards, Sharon Sims	Loraine Victor, Jill Hackland, Trish Steyn	Amy Monkhouse, Jean Baker, Ellen Falkner, Jayne Christie	England
2008	Christchurch, New Zealand	Val Smith	Jo Edwards, Val Smith	Lorna Trigwell, Loraine Victor, Sylvia Burns	Karen Murphy, Claire Duke, Julie Keegan, Lynsey Clarke	Australia
2012	Adelaide, Australia	Karen Murphy	Rebecca Van Asch, Kelsey Cottrell	Karen Murphy, Lynsey Clarke, Natasha Scott	Margaret Letham, Caroline Brown, Lynn Stein, Michelle Cooper	Australia
2016	Christchurch, New Zealand	Karen Murphy	Jess Sims, Laura Daniels	Rebecca Van Asch, Natasha Scott, Carla Krizanic	Natasha Scott, Rebecca Van Asch, Carla Krizanic, Kelsey Cottrell	Australia
2020	Gold Coast, Australia	cancelled due to COVID-19
2023	Gold Coast, Australia	Tayla Bruce	Ain Nabilah Tarmizi, Aleena Nawawi	Kelsey Cottrell, Lynsey Clarke, Dawn Hayman	Amy Pharaoh, Lorraine Kuhler, Jamie-Lea Marshall, Sophie Tolchard	New Zealand
2025	Hong Kong, China

* Irene Molyneux played in the 1981 Fours & Pairs as an injury replacement helping England to the Fours Gold medal.

Nation	Men							Women							Total
	Singles	Pairs	Triples	Fours	Team	Total		Singles	Pairs	Triples	Fours	Team	Total
Australia	2	3	2	2	4	13		3	3	5	4	5	20		33
New Zealand	2	2	2	3	2	11		4	2	2	2	2	12		23
Scotland	-	3	4	1	5	13		-	1	1	3	1	6		19
England	5	-	2	2	2	11		1	-	-	3	4	8		19
South Africa	1	1	1	1	1	5		-	1	4	1	2	8		13
Ireland	1	2	1	2	-	6		3	4	-	-	-	7		13
Wales	1	-	-	1	-	2		1	1	1	-	-	3		5
Hong Kong	-	1	-	1	-	2		-	1	1	-	-	2		4
Canada	1	1	-	-	-	2		-	-	-	-	-	-		2
USA	-	1	1	-	-	2		-	-	-	-	-	-		2
Malaysia	1	-	-	-	-	1		-	1	-	-	-	1		2
Papua New Guinea	-	-	-	-	-	-		1	-	-	-	-	1		1
Norfolk Island	-	-	-	-	-	-		1	-	-	-	-	1		1
Israel	-	-	-	1	-	1		-	-	-	-	-	-		1

Year	Venue	Para Pairs Men Gold	Para Pairs Women Gold	Visually Impaired Mixed Pairs Gold
2023	Gold Coast, Australia	James Reynolds, Damien Delgado	Teri Blackbourn, Julie O'Connell	Jake Fehlberg, Jackie Hudson
2025	Hong Kong, China

• World Bowls Events

• World Bowls events
• World Bowls titles and medallists