2023 World Bowls Championships: All the info you need to know

by Lachlan Williams on August 2, 2023

After years of waiting, the 2023 World Bowls Championships is just around the corner.

When do the Championships start? How is it structured?

The 2023 World Bowls Championships commence on Tuesday, August 29, with the final matches taking place on Sunday, September 10.

The event is effectively split into two weeks, with events running Tuesday-Sunday. Women’s singles & fours, men’s pairs & triples and para men’s, women’s & mixed pairs events will run from Tuesday, August 29 – Sunday, September 3, before a rest day on Monday, September 4. Men’s singles & fours and women’s pairs and triples will then run from Tuesday, September 5 – Sunday, September 10.

Times of games

There are three set session times of 8.30am, 11.30am and 2.45pm AEST for all sectional play, with finals times varying depending on the discipline.

Australian Eastern Standard time is UTC/GMT+10, so make the necessary adjustments to the part of the world you find yourself in.

Venues

13 premier greens will be used across five clubs on the Gold Coast to host the event.

Broadbeach Bowls Club, Club Helensvale, Club Musgrave, Mudgeeraba Bowls Club and Paradise Point Bowls Club will serve as the five host venues.

Learn more about the venues here.

When are the finals?

The finals are as follows for each event:

Please note, there is no playoff for bronze, each losing semi finalist receives a bronze medal.

Where are the finals played?

Club Helensvale will host the first week of finals (September 2 & 3), while Broadbeach will take centre stage for the conclusion of the event (September 9 & 10).

How do I purchase tickets?

No need, it’s free to enjoy the action live from any of the five host venues!

Spectators are encouraged to arrive at each venue early to ensure they secure a seat for the day, with access to grandstand seating on finals days (September 2, 3, 9 & 10) open from 7.30am.

Who is competing at the event?

Bowlers from 44 nations around the world will descend on the Gold Coast for the event, making this year the largest instalment in the event’s history.

More than 400 players will take to the greens in the first world championships since 2016.

View the competing nations and team lists here.

How to watch from home?

An array of Australian contests and other international battles will be live-streamed to the Bowls Australia Facebook page and YouTube channel throughout the event.

Finals will be broadcast live to Australian audiences on Fox Sports and Kayo, while international audiences will be able to watch live via Facebook.

Further details, including stream schedules, will be announced in the coming weeks.

How can I follow matches if they aren’t live-streamed?

With so many matches taking place, it isn’t possible to stream all games.

However, live scores will be available for all matches. Scores will be updated about every 15 minutes.

What’s the format?

Singles: Four bowls each, first to 21 wins

Pairs: Three bowls, 18 ends

Triples: Two bowls, 18 ends

Fours: Two bowls, 15 ends

Para pairs events: Three bowls, 15 ends

A limit of 2 hours 15 minutes applies to all sectional matches for all disciplines. Time limits will not apply to knockout finals matches.

What’s up for grabs?

This is the biggest World Championships to date, with 11 gold medals up for grabs.

How can I get to each club if I’m attending in person?

Shuttle buses have been organised to run from Broadbeach to the four other host clubs each day to allow spectators a direct route to catch all the bowls action live.

Click here to learn more about the shuttle buses.

Why has it been so long since the last world championships?

The last instalment of the event was back in New Zealand in 2016. Originally planned to be held in 2020, the Gold Coast edition was postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.