The World Bowls Championships have been moved back a year ©World Bowls

This year's World Bowls Championships will now be held in 2021 after its postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers have confirmed that the event in Gold Coast in Australia will take place between May 25 and June 6 next year.

It will be preceded by three practice days from May 22 to 24.

Action was originally due to take place in the 2018 Commonwealth Games host city between May 26 and June 7 of this year, so the re-arranged dates are exactly a year on.

World Bowls and Bowls Australia have both agreed to the switch.

"We have been monitoring the coronavirus situation and its implications on our upcoming events closely for several months, and the cancellation and postponement of many of our high-profile national and international events was certainly an unfortunate but necessary consequence of protecting the health and wellness of all bowls stakeholders," said Bowls Australia chief executive Neil Dalrymple.

High-level bowls will return to Gold Coast, the host of the 2018 Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images
High-level bowls will return to Gold Coast, the host of the 2018 Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images

"Today, I am happy to announce to all players, officials, spectators and volunteers that Bowls Australia, along with all the major stakeholders involved, fully intend to deliver an exciting and special month of bowls on the Gold Coast in 2021.

"While this has undoubtedly been a difficult time for many in the bowls community and wider communities, we hope this news can provide some optimism to those doing it tough."

Thirty-six countries were due to compete at this year's World Championships.

Next year's event will be followed by the Australian Open in Gold Coast, between June 12 and 25.