As we come to the end of the calendar year, 2025 has been a pivotal one for World Bowls.

It has been a year of strong delivery, growing credibility with major international stakeholders, and real progress across our strategic priorities. We have continued to strengthen our governance foundations while also accelerating our global presence, events delivery, Para integration, and storytelling.

Governance, leadership and management

Our Annual General Meeting, held in November in Kuala Lumpur, marked an important milestone. Members endorsed the updated Strategic Plan, adopted constitutional changes, and formally ratified the merger with International Bowls for the Disabled (IBD). This was a significant step forward for Para sport integration and governance alignment.

A Member Forum followed the AGM, providing Member National Authorities with updates across several key areas of our work.

The re-election of Darryl Clout to the Board, along with the election of Sheila Corcoran and David Rhys Jones as World Bowls Life Members, recognised continuity, leadership, and outstanding service to the sport.

Throughout the year, our new committee structure has been active and productive. A face-to-face meeting of major MNA CEOs during the World Cup brought together representatives from Scotland, Malaysia, England, Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand, strengthening collaboration at a senior executive level.

Operationally, our staff, volunteers and contractors have continued to work diligently and effectively. I would like to sincerely thank Bronwyn White, Irene Attard, Selinda Goddard, Ceris Hewlings, Mark Cowan, Richard Corry, Alan Thornhill and Graeme Rees for their ongoing commitment and support.

The appointment of Chris Wallace as World Bowls Series Manager on a part-time basis has also had a positive impact, particularly in events delivery.

Financial management has remained sound, with growing commercial revenue a key focus as we look ahead to 2026. We thank our commercial partners for their support throughout 2025.

Major events and competition delivery

The World Cup “festival” in Malaysia was a standout highlight of the year. With 12 countries participating, the event delivered strong competition outcomes and excellent engagement. Our close collaboration with Bowls Malaysia resulted in outstanding hosting, reflected in a post-event survey score of 4.11 out of 5.

The event also provided valuable preparation for Glasgow 2026, including engagement with the Glasgow 2026 Competition Manager. The construction of four portable rinks was a major success, and we thank Craig Morris and Sports Build for delivering this project.

We also thank cluBarham in New South Wales for hosting both the Champion of Champions in September and the inaugural World Bowls Series Finals in December.

Our indoor championships were well supported, with Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club hosting the World Indoor Championship in April, and County Antrim Indoor Bowling Club hosting the World Junior Indoor Championship in December. Both venues, supported by dedicated volunteers, provided excellent facilities for all participants.

The 2025 World Bowls Series rankings have now been released, and the 2026 WBS calendar will be launched shortly.

Planning for the 2027 World Bowls Championships continues positively with Bowls England, with regional qualifying events confirmed across the world in 2026.

An outstanding inaugural World Bowls Hall of Fame induction and Gala Dinner was also held in Kuala Lumpur. The event generated strong publicity and was a credit to the World Bowls team, Board and President. Liaison will now continue with Member National Authorities regarding presentations for inductees who were unable to attend.

Commonwealth Games, Olympic and Paralympic engagement

Regular and constructive engagement took place throughout the year with Commonwealth Sport and the Glasgow 2026 organising team. Discussions focused on competition planning, presentation, and broadcast arrangements.

A major strategic achievement was the confirmation of Bowls as a core sport for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, India. This outcome followed a detailed evaluation process and represents a strong endorsement of the sport’s global relevance and inclusivity.

Progress also continued toward Olympic and Paralympic ambitions. World Bowls worked closely with Bowls Australia on the Bowls for Brisbane campaign, with three showcase matches delivered across the BPL, World Cup and WBS Finals.

Meetings were held with senior Brisbane 2032 executives, and an application to the IPC in support of potential Paralympic inclusion was submitted in December.

Para bowls and IBD transition

Following the ratification of the IBD merger, implementation work progressed throughout 2025. Regular meetings were held to prepare for the formation of the World Bowls Para Committee, with transition arrangements expected to be finalised by the end of March 2026.

Work is also underway in Para classification, including exploration of a potential research programme. Korea Bowls for the Disabled has expressed interest in hosting a World Open Para Championships in 2028, and early discussions have commenced around the bidding process and possible research partnerships.

Research

World Bowls established a Research Committee in 2025, initially focusing on Para classification, with a second phase addressing diversity and inclusion more broadly.

Two white papers were produced during the year. Early analysis indicates that developing research infrastructure could open access to new funding streams while supporting evidence-based decision-making across the sport.

Telling our story

World Bowls achieved strong digital reach and sustained engagement in 2025, driven by major global events.

Across our platforms:

• YouTube delivered over 1.18 million views and strong subscriber growth, led by World Cup and Indoor Championship content.

• Facebook recorded 13.7 million views and significant interaction growth.

• Instagram continued to grow, with steady increases in reach, engagement and followers.

• All growth across Meta platforms was achieved organically.

Clear engagement spikes aligned with major World Bowls events, reinforcing the importance of events in global storytelling.

Broadcast coverage also expanded, with production support from Bowls New Zealand and Sideline Sports, and broadcasts secured with Sky Sport, Astro TV and Fox Sports.

Our media and storytelling efforts continue to grow, supported by our Media Officer and commentary team, who added depth and personality to our coverage throughout the year.

Growing the sport

World Bowls continues to collect participation data through our Annual Census, supporting informed decision-making and future planning.

Membership growth remained positive, with Bermuda and Uganda joining in 2025, and engagement ongoing with several prospective member nations.

The World Bowls Academy was officially launched at the World Cup in November. In partnership with the World Academy of Sport, work is now focused on developing content for the learning platform, with coaching as the initial priority.

We also progressed discussions with The Bowls Club regarding future plans, including a proposed launch in Dubai in 2026.

An MOU signed with the World Short Mat Bowls Council has already generated increased interest from Member National Authorities.

Equipment support was provided to Ghana and the Falkland Islands, with thanks again to Henselite for their ongoing assistance.

Integrity and anti-doping

Anti-doping testing was conducted at the World Bowls Series Finals and is planned for the 2026 World Bowls Indoor Championship. Education remains a priority, with additional anti-doping resources being prepared for publication on the World Bowls website.

Looking ahead

2025 has been a year of strong delivery, strategic validation and growing confidence in World Bowls’ direction.

I thank the World Bowls and World Bowls Series Boards, our Member National Authorities, partners, committee members, volunteers, and our small but dedicated staff and contractors for their continued commitment and support.

The progress made this year positions World Bowls well as we move toward Glasgow 2026, Brisbane 2032 and beyond.

I wish you all a happy and safe festive season, and I look forward to working with you again in 2026.

Neil Dalrymple
Chief Executive Officer