Lawn Bowls is one of the core Commonwealth Games sports. It has been at all Commonwealth Games since 1930 (except in 1966).

  • The Commonwealth Games competition is conducted in accordance with the rules of the World Bowls (WB) international federation.
  • At Glasgow 2026 the program was reduced to seven medal events: men's and women's singles and pairs, plus three para bowls pairs events.
  • The draws are conducted in a round-robin format, with the later stages run on a knockout basis.
Lawn bowls at the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane Lawn bowls at the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane (image: Queensland State Archives)

Glasgow 2026 Bowls

Bowls and para bowls at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games were held at the SEC (Scottish Exhibition Campus), and for the first time in the sport's Commonwealth Games history, the competition was played indoors, on portable rinks. The reduced program featured seven medal events: men's and women's singles and pairs, together with three para bowls pairs events (men's B6–8, women's B6–8 and mixed B2–3).

Results and Highlights

England were the dominant nation, topping the bowls medal table with six medals (three gold, two silver and one bronze). Sam Tolchard won the men's singles, Katherine Rednall the women's singles, and Amy Pharaoh and Sian Honnor the women's pairs.

Australia finished second with two golds, sweeping both para pairs finals against New Zealand – Damien Delgado and James Reynolds in the men's B6–8 pairs, and Louise Hoskins and Serena Bonnell in the women's B6–8 pairs.

Host nation, Scotland delighted the home crowd with two gold medals of their own, winning the men's pairs and the B2–3 para mixed pairs, both against England, while New Zealand took two para pairs silvers. The leading nations on the bowls medal table are shown below.

Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
England 3 2 1 6
Australia 2 0 0 2
Northern Ireland 1 0 2 3

Trivia

  • Lawn bowler Willie Wood from Scotland is the first competitor to have competed in seven Commonwealth Games, from 1974 to 2002.
  • The 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane included the first-ever event for women in lawn bowls with a Triples tournament introduced. 
  • In 1994 a singles events for blind men and women was included as demonstration events. Since 2002, events for athletes with a disability have been an official part of the program.
  • Glasgow 2026 was the first Commonwealth Games at which the bowls competition was played indoors.
  • At Glasgow 2026, England topped the bowls medal table with three golds among six medals, while host nation Scotland won two golds (the men's pairs and the B2–3 para mixed pairs), both against England.