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 2026 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).
Read the announcement to learn more.
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ICANN’s 2026 Nominating Committee Announces Leadership Selections | | | |
The 2026 Nominating Committee announced its selections for seven leadership positions:
- Two for the ICANN Board
- One for the Public Technical Identifiers Board
- One for the At-Large Advisory Committee – Europe
- One for the At-Large Advisory Committee – North America
- One for the Country Code Names Supporting Organization Council
- One for the Generic Names Supporting Organization Council
Those selected will begin their terms at the conclusion of the ICANN87 Annual General Meeting in October 2026.
Read this announcement to learn about the selectees.
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Registration is open for the ICANN87 Annual General Meeting, which takes place 17–22 October 2026 in Bali, Indonesia, and online.
To attend in person, you must register by 14 October 2026. Onsite registration will not be available. Registration is free and open to all.
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What’s Next for 2026 Round gTLD Applicants? | | | |
The application submission period for the New gTLD Program: 2026 Round officially closed last month. 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 total number of applications cannot be confirmed until ICANN receives payment for every applicant’s gTLD evaluation fee.
What’s next for 2026 Round applicants?
The next milestone is Reveal Day – when ICANN publishes the public-facing portions of all applications it has received, following an administrative check of each. 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.
Barring extenuating circumstances, ICANN expects that it will publish that list no later than nine weeks following the close of the application window, and the date for Reveal Day to be announced this month.
The 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook outlines what applicants can expect in the next stages of application and evaluation:
ICANN also will host a number of 2026 Round sessions at ICANN87. Please check the meeting schedule for information.
Resources to prepare applicants for the key phases of the application lifecycle can 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.
| | | APAC ACTIVITIES AND HIGHLIGHTS | | | Promoting Internet Governance Participation and Capacity Building in Fiji | | | |
ICANN strengthened its engagement with Fiji’s Internet community through participation in Fiji National University’s annual National Conference on Information Technology in August. Save Vocea, ICANN Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement – Oceania, spoke about ICANN and the opportunities for the Pacific community to participate in its work. Champika Wijayatunga, Technical Engagement Director, Asia Pacific, also delivered a technical tutorial, sharing practical knowledge with participants.
The event brought together leaders from government, industry, academia, and the technical and cybersecurity communities, providing an opportunity to strengthen awareness of ICANN and its role in the Internet ecosystem. During the sessions, discussions covered key areas, including Domain Name System (DNS) security, DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and Knowledge-Sharing and Instantiating Norms for DNS and Naming Security (KINDNS), digital inclusion through Universal Acceptance, DNS Abuse mitigation, and ways to participate in ICANN’s multistakeholder processes.
Beyond sharing technical knowledge, the engagement helped strengthen relationships across Fiji’s Internet community and encourage greater participation in ICANN. Continued collaboration with local stakeholders will help build capacity, strengthen Internet infrastructure and ensure that diverse Pacific perspectives contribute to discussions shaping the Internet’s future.
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ICANN APAC Supports Registrar Capacity Building in Indonesia | | | |
Representatives of the ICANN APAC Contractual Compliance and Global Domains Division teams participated in the Indonesian Internet Domain Name Registry’s (known as PANDI) annual registrar training event, held on 1 September 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The representatives engaged with more than 35 participants in a session focused on compliance practices and processes.
The session covered key topics including DNS Abuse management, Registration Data accuracy verification, ICANN’s compliance complaint handling and audit processes, as well as ongoing Policy Development Processes. The teams’ practical insights and experience helped registrars deepen their understanding of compliance-related processes and stay informed about evolving practices and requirements.
Held ahead of ICANN87 in Bali, the engagement also demonstrated continued collaboration between ICANN and PANDI in supporting a secure and resilient domain name ecosystem in Indonesia.
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Connecting Technical Expertise and the Next Generation at APNIC 62 | | | |
ICANN’s Champika Wijayatunga, Technical Engagement Director, Asia Pacific, participated in the 62nd conference organized by the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre in September.
During a technical session on routing and the Domain Name System (DNS), Wijayatunga shared updates and addressed questions on the upcoming Root Zone Key Signing Key (KSK) Rollover. He also delivered a tutorial on DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and Knowledge-Sharing and Instantiating Norms for DNS and Naming Security (KINDNS), highlighting best practices that support a secure and resilient DNS. Additionally, he joined the Network Security Workshop as a guest speaker, sharing insights on safeguarding DNS infrastructures and deploying security best practices.
During the NextGen Birds of A Feather session, Wijayatunga introduced participants to ICANN’s role in the Internet ecosystem and shared practical pathways for becoming involved in the ICANN community and its multistakeholder process.
Through its participation at APNIC 62, ICANN helped deepen technical knowledge, strengthen connections with the Asia Pacific technical community, raise awareness of key DNS initiatives, and encourage a new generation to contribute to a secure, stable, and interoperable Internet.
| | | Third ccNSO DNS Abuse Survey Explores ccTLD Trends and Mitigation | |
In August 2026, the ccNSO DNS Abuse Standing Committee (DASC) launched the third edition of the ccNSO DNS Abuse Survey. The survey is part of the committee’s ongoing work to better understand trends in DNS Abuse across the ccTLD ecosystem and explore ways to support ccTLD managers in mitigating abuse.
The survey is open from 17 August to 20 September, 2026, and DASC invites all interested ccTLD managers to share their experiences and perspectives. Responses will build on insights from previous editions and help provide a clearer picture of how DNS Abuse trends and mitigation approaches among ccTLDs are evolving. Survey results will also guide the DASC workplan.
Preliminary survey results will be presented at ICANN87, followed by a post-ICANN87 webinar providing further details.
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DNS Abuse Mitigation PDP 1 Working Group Update | |
The DNS Abuse Mitigation PDP 1 Working Group has published its Initial Report for Public Comment. A webinar introduced the ICANN community to the Initial Report, led by the PDP Chair, Paul McGrady, which took place on 9 September 2026. Public Comment for the Initial Report closes on 28 September 2026. There will be four Working Group sessions at ICANN87 in Bali to review Public Comments received.
The System for Standardized Access/ Disclosure (SSAD) Supplemental Recommendations Team (SRT) has been meeting regularly to discuss modifications to the original SSAD recommendations, which were declined by the ICANN Board on 12 March 2026. The SSAD SRT is preparing the draft Supplemental Recommendations for Public Comment, scheduled to open at the end of October 2026.
| | | GLOBAL DOMAINS AND STRATEGY UPDATE | | | |
The UA Day 2026 Report highlights how organizations across the world came together to move beyond awareness and toward the practical implementation of Universal Acceptance (UA). This year’s 33 UA Day events attracted more than 5,800 participants and were held across 30 countries and territories in 15 languages. Organized by ICANN in collaboration with the community, and global, regional, and local organizations, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the fourth annual UA Day demonstrated that it has become an important platform for building awareness, strengthening technical capacity, and encouraging organizations to make their systems UA-ready. ICANN thanks the many individuals, organizations, and attendees who contributed to successful UA Day 2026 events.
All UA Day reports, including translations, are available on the UA Day website.
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Continuous Improvement Program Advances Its Work Across the Community | |
ICANN has published an update on the community’s progress in implementing the Continuous Improvement Program (CIP), highlighting work underway across Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, and the Nominating Committee. The update outlines milestones, including the development of assessment plans, criteria, and indicators, and engagement activities as the community moves toward a continuous approach to organizational improvement.
The CIP is designed to strengthen accountability, effectiveness, and transparency through ongoing assessment and improvement, replacing periodic Organizational Reviews over time. Learn more and read the latest update.
| | | GETTING TO KNOW THE ICANN COMMUNITY | | | |
Mohammed Sajid is a graduate engineer at Vodafone Fiji and holds a networks and security degree from the University of the South Pacific. His journey with the ICANN community began in ICANN84 when he participated in the NextGen@ICANN Program. Sajid also participated in the Local Asia Pacific Internet Governance Academy in Australia and the Pacific Network Operators Group.
As a member of the Internet Society, he has also continued his community engagement through the Asian, Australasian, and Pacific Islands Regional At-Large Organization. Sajid’s interests include Internet infrastructure, the Domain Name System (DNS), DNS Security Extensions, routing, switching, cybersecurity, and Internet resilience in the Pacific. His motivation is to understand how technical expertise and the multistakeholder model can strengthen the Internet.
His advice to those new to ICANN is simple: get started and stay curious. By participating, asking questions, and continuing to learn, newcomers can gradually connect the dots and develop a deeper understanding of the Internet governance ecosystem.
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ICANN Around the World
Regional Offices:
Los Angeles, U.S.A. (Headquarters)
Brussels, Belgium
Istanbul, Türkiye
Montevideo, Uruguay
Singapore
Engagement Centers:
Beijing, China
Geneva, Switzerland
Nairobi, Kenya
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
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