ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

11/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/03/2025 06:05

ICANN Board Adopts Next Round Applicant Guidebook; Clears Path to 2026 Launch

The Board of Directors of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) adopted the Applicant Guidebook (AGB) for the 2026 round of the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program at the ICANN84 Annual General Meeting in Dublin.

"Adoption of the AGB is a significant milestone on the path to opening the gTLD application window. The Board is pleased and proud to have adopted the AGB," said ICANN Board Chair Tripti Sinha. "This is a testament to the dedication of the community and ICANN staff, working together over many hours to implement the next round of the New gTLD Program."

The guidebook establishes the requirements and processes for all entities applying for gTLDs. It is based on more than 300 outputs from community-developed, consensus policy recommendations. The AGB is the culmination of more than 250 hours of Implementation Review Team meetings and detailed discussions around policy and implementation. Five Public Comment proceedings provided the ICANN community with the important opportunity to offer feedback.

As stipulated by the community, the AGB must be made available at least four months prior to opening the application window. Board adoption at ICANN84 means the ICANN organization (org) is directed to publish the AGB no later than 30 December 2025. In the interim, the org continues work with Dispute Resolution Service Providers to ensure their rules are aligned with relevant procedures in the guidebook. They also will review the AGB to make any necessary insignificant changes.

The New gTLD Program is a community-driven initiative that is enabling the expansion of the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS). Through the introduction of new gTLDs, including domain names in a variety of scripts, the program aims to foster diversity, encourage competition, and enhance the utility of the DNS.

The AGB is the essential resource for anyone interested in applying for a gTLD. To learn more, please visit the New gTLD Program website.

About ICANN

ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address - a name or a number - into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.

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ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers published this content on November 03, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on November 03, 2025 at 12:05 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]