The International Lacrosse Federation has announced the schedule for the inaugural World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, to be held across southern Ontario this May.

The tournament begins on Thursday, 15 May, at the Oshawa Civic Auditorium with a noon game between Scotland and Iroquois Nationals. A match between the United States and the Czech Republic will follow at 4:00 PM, while Canada and Australia meet in the nightcap (7:30 PM).

The six teams will continue round-robin play in Oshawa the next day, then continue on for two days at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga and one day at the Kitchener Memorial Arena.

Kitchener will also host the semifinals, with the gold and bronze medal games to be held on Saturday, 24 May, at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton.

All round-robin games, as well as the semifinal round, will follow the 12:00 / 4:00 / 7:30 pattern. The games in Hamilton are scheduled for 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM.

The schedule, as expected, puts most Canadian round-robin games in prime time. The Maple Leafs' only game not scheduled for the evening slot is against Scotland (Sunday, 19 May, 4:00 PM). That night, the United States and Iroquois Nationals meet in what quite possibly will be the best game of the six in Mississauga.

Two days later, the Americans and Canadians face off in Kitchener, in the last of the fifteen preliminary games.

Scotland, perhaps with eyes on coverage back home, plays four round-robin games at noon, which translates to early evening in western Europe.

Four of the twenty games will be televised on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada. The gold medal game will be one of those broadcasts; organizers have not announced the other three, nor has any announcement of American television coverage been announced.

The following is the schedule for the 2003 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships (all times Eastern).

Match Day 1 - Oshawa Civic Auditorium
Thu 15 May           Iroquois - Scotland           12:00
Thu 15 May      United States - Czech Republic      4:00
Thu 15 May             Canada - Australia           7:30

Match Day 2 - Oshawa Civic Auditorium
Fri 16 May     Czech Republic - Scotland           12:00
Fri 16 May      United States - Australia           4:00
Fri 16 May             Canada - Iroquois            7:30

Match Day 3 - Hershey Centre, Mississauga
Sun 18 May      United States - Scotland           12:00
Sun 18 May           Iroquois - Australia           4:00
Sun 18 May             Canada - Czech Republic      7:30

Match Day 4 - Hershey Centre, Mississauga
Mon 19 May          Australia - Czech Republic     12:00
Mon 19 May             Canada - Scotland            4:00
Mon 19 May      United States - Iroquois            7:30

Match Day 5 - Kitchener Memorial Arena
Wed 21 May           Scotland - Australia          12:00
Wed 21 May     Czech Republic - Iroquois            4:00
Wed 21 May             Canada - United States       7:30

Match Day 6 - Kitchener Memorial Arena
Thu 22 May        Consolation - 5th vs. 6th        12:00
Thu 22 May        Semifinal 1 - 1st vs. 4th         4:00
Thu 22 May        Semifinal 2 - 2nd vs. 3rd         7:30

Match Day 7 - Copps Coliseum, Hamilton
Sat 24 May       Bronze Medal - Losers, S1 & S2    10:00a
Sat 24 May         Gold Medal - Winners, S1 & S2    1:30