These are the premier events between national bowls organisations affiliated to World Bowls Ltd.

First held in Australia in 1966, the World Bowls Championships for men and women are held every 4 years. From 2008 the men's and women's events are held together. Qualifying national bowls organisations (usually countries) are represented by sides of 5 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 4 disciplines, and there is also a trophy for the best overall 5-player side — the Leonard Trophy for men and the Taylor Trophy for women.

The next World Bowls Championships will be held in Adelaide, Australia from 24 November – 9 December 2012.

* Team order is Skip to Lead

**  Jim Candelet (USA) 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 (SCO), a reserve with the Scottish team, to take his place for the rest of the tournament.

World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth.

In a philosophical context it may refer to: (1) the whole of the physical Universe, or (2) an ontological world (see world disclosure). In a theological context, world usually refers to the material or the profane sphere, as opposed to the celestial, spiritual, transcendent or sacred. The "end of the world" refers to scenarios of the final end of human history, often in religious contexts.

World history is commonly understood as spanning the major geopolitical developments of about five millennia, from the first civilizations to the present.

World population is the sum of all human populations at any time; similarly, world economy is the sum of the economies of all societies (all countries), especially in the context of globalization. Terms like world championship, gross world product, world flags etc. also imply the sum or combination of all current-day sovereign states.

David "Dai" Rees Prosser (born 13 October 1912 in Neath — died 6 May 1973(1973-05-06) (aged 60) in York) was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s and '40s, and rugby league coach of the 1960s, playing representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and Glamorgan County RFC, and at club level for Glynneath RFC, Neath RFC, and Swansea RFC, as a Prop forward, i.e. number 1 or 3, and playing representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for York, and Leeds, as a Prop, i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums, and coaching club level rugby league for Leeds. Dai Prosser was a Bombardier in the British Army during World War II.

Dai Prosser won caps for Wales (RU) while at Glynneath RFC in 1934 against Scotland, and Ireland, won caps for Wales (RL) while at York, and Leeds 1936…1944 8-caps, and won a cap for Great Britain (RL) while at Leeds in 1937 against Australia at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield.