ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
08/13/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/13/2026 17:07
ICANN 2026 Round Closes with More Than 1,600 New gTLD Applications
The application submission window for the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: 2026 Round closed on 12 August at 23:59 UTC. The close of the 15-week application submission period marks a major milestone for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) community, Board, and staff.
The majority of the applications were submitted in the final days of the application submission period. At the close of the window, ICANN received more than 1,600 primary applications, of which more than 1,100 included applications for replacement strings (secondary applications).
The final total number of applications cannot be confirmed until payment of the gTLD evaluation fee is received. 2026 Round applicants are reminded that ICANN must receive the full gTLD evaluation fee by whichever date is later:
- 23:59 UTC on 19 August 2026 OR
- 23:59 UTC on the date that is seven days after the invoice was sent. (For example, if an invoice was sent on 14 August 2026, payment must be received by 23:59 UTC on 21 August 2026.)
More information on the payment process is available in a recent announcement; Frequently Asked Questions are available here.
Next Steps
After ICANN conducts an administrative review of all gTLD applications received, it will publish the public-facing portions of those applications on Reveal Day. Applicants and the public will be able to see what gTLDs have been applied for, as well as the strings that may be in contention with one another.
Absent extraordinary circumstances, ICANN expects to publish the list of all applications that have passed the Administrative Check on Reveal Day no later than nine weeks following the close of the application submission period. ICANN expects to announce the date of Reveal Day and timeline for subsequent milestones in mid-September 2026.
As a reminder, the Applicant Guidebook outlines what applicants can expect in the next stages of processing:
- Community Input, including application comments and objections.
- Contention Set Resolution, including important information regarding ICANN auctions and the prohibition of private resolution.
- Applicant and Application Evaluation, with relevant information on expectations for each evaluation and the criteria that panels will use to evaluate applications.
More information on the key phases of the application lifecycle can also be found on the 2026 Round Applicant Journey webpage.
Be sure to check the program's News and Announcements page frequently for the latest news and updates. This information also will be sent directly to entities that have submitted an application in the TLD Application Management System.
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.
ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers published this content on August 13, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 13, 2026 at 23:07 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]