ICANN Reveals 2026 Round Applications for New Generic Top-Level Domains

Today, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) printed the record of functions acquired within the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: 2026 Round, revealing the applied-for strings and making use of entities. As required by community-developed coverage set forth within the Applicant Guidebook, the printed knowledge contains the applied-for major strings and any relevant variant or substitute strings, a list of contention sets (CSV format), and public parts of every utility. The complete itemizing could be discovered on the 2026 Round Application Publication and Statistics website.

“Reveal Day marks an vital milestone for the subsequent enlargement of the Domain Name System,” mentioned Kurtis Lindqvist, President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN. “These functions display how organizations across the globe are innovating new methods to construct trusted on-line identities, serve their communities, and join with Internet customers. ICANN stays targeted on administering a good, clear, and predictable analysis course of grounded within the insurance policies developed by our international multistakeholder neighborhood.”

Reveal Day 2026 Data Snapshot

The utility submission window was open from 30 April–12 August 2026. Highlights from the 2026 Round utility knowledge* embody:

• 1,615 functions
• 333 model functions
• 16 community-based functions
• 15 self-identified geographic identify functions
• 51 functions submitted by Applicant Support Program candidates
• 16 functions from Africa
• 218 functions from Asia/Australia/Pacific
• 506 functions from Europe
• 11 functions from Latin America and the Caribbean
• 864 functions from North America
• 21 functions for Internationalized Domain Names
• 9 functions for variants. This is when an applicant applies for a string that has different types in numerous scripts corresponding to Arabic or Chinese.

*This snapshot displays major string utility knowledge as of seven October 2026. The closing quantity and varieties of functions shall be confirmed on String Confirmation Day.

Below is info on subsequent milestones in this system by means of the tip of the 12 months.

Replacement Period: 8 October 2026 (00:01 UTC)–21 October 2026 (23:59 UTC)

Following Reveal Day, candidates that utilized for a second-choice or alternate “substitute” string after they submitted their gTLD utility have two weeks wherein they might elect to change from their major applied-for string to their substitute string. Applicants might swap to the substitute string solely throughout this era, and provided that their substitute string is eligible. If the substitute string is similar to a different applied-for major string, or one other substitute string, it can’t be used. Applicants must be conscious that substitute strings may find yourself in competition within the later phases of this system (e.g., because of a singular/plural notification or String Confusion Objection). More info on the Replacement Period is obtainable on this webpage.

String Confirmation Day: 17 November 2026

Following the String Replacement Period, a closing record of all of the applied-for gTLD strings is printed on String Confirmation Day, in addition to an up to date record of competition units. String Confirmation Day marks the beginning of the Community Input and Objections Period and the ultimate 10 days throughout which candidates can withdraw their utility to obtain a 65 p.c refund of the gTLD analysis charge paid. To obtain a refund throughout this refund window, a request have to be submitted by 23:59 UTC on 27 November 2026. More info on refunds and timing is obtainable on this webpage.

Community Input and Objections Period: 17 November 2026–16 March 2027

The ICANN neighborhood and members of the general public may have a chance to supply suggestions on functions following String Confirmation Day. Input might come through utility feedback, Governmental Advisory Committee Member Early Warnings, singular/plural notifications, or objections utilizing the Application Comment Forum. More info, together with particulars on extra objections intervals, could be discovered on this webpage.

ICANN Office Closure

2026 Round operations shall be paused throughout ICANN’s end-of-year workplace closure from 1:00 UTC on 19 December 2026 till 16:00 UTC on 4 January 2027. This pause has been factored into the Community Input and Objections Period to make sure that candidates, the neighborhood, and the general public retain the total quantity of allotted time to supply enter or reply to objections. Additional particulars shall be made obtainable within the coming months.

Prioritization Draw: 2027

The Prioritization Draw units the order that functions and competition units shall be processed following the conclusion of the String Evaluation Stage. The String Evaluation Stage is the method of reviewing applied-for gTLD strings (and their allocatable variant strings) to make sure they meet the necessities of the New gTLD Program; all strings are reviewed concurrently. As utility and competition set processing won’t begin till after the conclusion of the String Evaluation Stage (anticipated to final 180 days), the Prioritization Draw will happen on a to-be-determined date within the first half of 2027. Applicants can not attend the Draw in particular person however can observe the reside occasion just about. More info shall be offered at a later date.

Future 2026 Round Milestones

ICANN will proceed to work on the planning and affirmation of timelines for later 2026 Round milestones, such because the publication of String Evaluation Results and the beginning dates for Applicant and Application Evaluation and competition decision, and can talk them accordingly.

Additional Resources

More info on the important thing phases of the applying lifecycle could be discovered on the 2026 Round Applicant Journey webpage. Be certain to verify this system’s News and Announcements page often for the most recent information and updates. This info additionally shall be despatched on to entities which have submitted an utility within the TLD Application Management System.