2020 World Outdoor Bowls Championship


The 2020 World Outdoor Bowls Championship was to be the 14th edition of the World Championships to be held at the Broadbeach Bowls Club, Musgrave Hill Bowls Club and Club Helensvale on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. There were to be eight events that determined the 2021 world champions, the men's singles, doubles, triples and fours and the women's singles, doubles, triples and fours and in addition there are two overall team winners who receive the Leonard and Taylor trophies respectively. It was originally scheduled from 23 May to 7 June 2020 but the event was officially cancelled on 9 March 2021.

Postponement

The event followed suit of other sporting events around the world in early 2020, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak wreaking havoc across the sporting industry. On March 17, 2020, World Bowls and host organisation Bowls Australia made the decision to postpone the event. Australia's borders were closed to foreign travellers and no time was set as to when the event would be postponed until, due to the uncertain nature of the coronavirus. “We believe this is the right decision to minimise the risk of public exposure to the coronavirus, which the World Health Organization recently declared a global pandemic," World Bowls Chief Executive Officer Gary Smith said at the time. On 31 March, it was announced that the event would be held on 25 May to 6 June 2021 but then suffered a further delay with new dates of 7 September to 19 September 2021 being announced.

Cancellation

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 Bowls Championships were terminated.

Participating teams

There were due to be 36 nations/associations competing at 2021 Championships.
Participating teams

Teams

Men's singles

Men's pairs

Men's triples

Men's fours

Women's singles

Women's pairs

Women's triples

Women's fours