ICANN New gTLD 2026 Round Explained: 1,615 Applications and What They Mean for Your Domain
By Thomas Lovas Lokoy — researched and drafted with AI assistance, then fact-checked and approved by Thomas before publishing · Editorial policy
The short answer
ICANN's 2026 round lets organisations apply for brand-new top-level domains, and 1,615 applications are now on the table. ICANN published them on Reveal Day, 7 October 2026. None of the new extensions can be registered yet: the applications still face objections, evaluation and contention resolution, and the first launches are unlikely before 2027 at the earliest, because ICANN expects the String Evaluation Stage alone to take 180 days after a prioritisation draw in the first half of 2027.
For most businesses the round matters in two ways. If you own a trademark, watch the list for strings that clash with it and decide whether to object or plan defensive registrations. If you are buying a domain, expect more extensions to choose from later, but do not wait for them: a good .com or country-code name today is worth more than a promise.
What happened, in dates
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 30 April to 12 August 2026 | Application window open |
| 22 September 2026 | ICANN confirms which paid applications proceed |
| 7 October 2026 | Reveal Day: applied-for strings and applicants published |
| 8 to 21 October 2026 | Replacement period: applicants may swap to a pre-selected alternate string |
| 17 November 2026 | String Confirmation Day: final strings and contention sets; objections period opens |
| 27 November 2026 | Deadline to withdraw for a 65% refund |
| 17 November 2026 to 16 March 2027 | Community input and objections period |
| First half of 2027 | Prioritisation draw sets processing order |
The dates come from ICANN's Reveal Day announcement and its New gTLD Program site. ICANN says later milestones, including evaluation results and contention resolution, will be announced later; it gives no delegation date.
What was applied for
ICANN's announcement counts 1,615 primary-string applications as of 7 October 2026, with the final number to be confirmed on String Confirmation Day. Its breakdown:
- 333 brand applications, companies applying for their own name as an extension.
- 16 community-based and 15 self-identified geographic applications.
- 21 internationalised domain names, in non-Latin scripts, plus 9 variant applications.
- 51 applications from the Applicant Support Program, which offers financial and non-financial help to entities that show need.
- By region: North America 864, Europe 506, Asia/Australia/Pacific 218, Africa 16, Latin America and the Caribbean 11.
CircleID's Reveal Day report counts 481 distinct applicants and notes that several strings are contested; it cites .ace, with three applicants. Where two or more applicants want the same or a confusingly similar string, only one can win, and contention has to be resolved before any of them can move toward launch.
How a new gTLD gets from application to launch
An application is not a domain extension. Every applied-for string has to pass the stages ICANN lists on its programme site, and each one can end the application:
- String confirmation. The final list, after the replacement period, is published on 17 November 2026, together with updated contention sets.
- Community input and objections. Comments, Governmental Advisory Committee early warnings, singular and plural notifications and formal objections can all be raised until 16 March 2027.
- Prioritisation and evaluation. A draw in the first half of 2027 sets the processing order; string evaluation is then expected to take 180 days.
- Contention resolution. Where several applicants want the same or a confusingly similar string, only one can proceed.
- Contracting and delegation. Successful applicants sign a registry agreement and the new extension is added to the root zone. ICANN also requires every applicant to use an evaluated Registry Service Provider to run the technical side.
String Confirmation Day also opens a 10-day window in which applicants can withdraw for a 65% refund, with requests due by 23:59 UTC on 27 November 2026. Some applications will drop out there, so the 1,615 figure is a ceiling rather than a forecast of how many new extensions will launch.
What it costs to apply
The window has closed, so this is context rather than an option. BrandShelter's guide to the 2026 Applicant Guidebook gives the base evaluation fee as US$227,000 per application, covering one primary string and up to four variants, with a separate eligibility check for brand applications. After ICANN invites an applicant to sign, the registry agreement has to be executed within 90 days and the TLD delegated within a year. Running a registry has ongoing costs on top. That price tag is why most applicants are companies and established registry operators rather than individuals.
What it means if you own a brand
Check the list for clashes
Search the published strings for your brand, close misspellings and generic words central to your business. ICANN's objections period opens on String Confirmation Day, 17 November 2026, and runs to 16 March 2027. If an applied-for string would harm your trademark or confuse your customers, that is the window to act, usually with legal advice.
Register your mark with the Trademark Clearinghouse
The Trademark Clearinghouse is a central database of verified trademarks connected to every new gTLD that launches. A recorded mark gives you priority registration in each new extension's Sunrise period, and during the 90-day Claims period that follows, anyone trying to register a matching name is warned about your mark. When hundreds of new extensions start launching, that is far cheaper than chasing infringing names one dispute at a time; our guide to UDRP domain disputes covers what happens when prevention fails.
Do not register defensively everywhere
Not every new extension needs your name. Focus on extensions tied to your industry, your country and obvious typos, and let the rest go. Our domain extensions guide explains how the existing generic and country-code extensions are used today.
What it means if you are buying a domain
More choice later, not now. None of the 2026 strings can be registered until they pass evaluation, contracting and delegation. Planning a launch around an extension that may not exist for years is a risk you do not need.
The established extensions keep their lead. .com remains the default people type; see our guide on how to choose a domain name for the trade-offs. Note that the .com wholesale price rises on 1 November 2026; our .com price increase guide explains whether to renew early.
Watch renewal prices on new extensions. Some newer extensions price registrations low and renewals high. Our registry premium domains guide explains why some names cost far more than the headline price.
If you need a name for a project starting now, check availability across the extensions that already exist. Search for your name at Domain.com, or compare registrars in our best domain registrars guide.
Frequently asked questions
When will the new gTLDs from the 2026 round launch?
ICANN has not given a date. After String Confirmation Day on 17 November 2026 and the objections period to 16 March 2027, a prioritisation draw is due in the first half of 2027 and string evaluation is expected to take 180 days. Launches follow contracting and delegation after that.
How many new gTLD applications were there in 2026?
ICANN's Reveal Day count was 1,615 primary-string applications as of 7 October 2026, including 333 brand applications. The final number will be confirmed on String Confirmation Day.
Can I still apply for a new top-level domain?
Not in this round. The application window ran from 30 April to 12 August 2026.
How much does it cost to apply for a new gTLD?
The base evaluation fee in the 2026 round is US$227,000 per application, according to the Applicant Guidebook as summarised by BrandShelter, with reduced fees for qualifying Applicant Support Program applicants.
What should trademark owners do now?
Check the published list for strings that clash with your mark, consider recording your mark with the Trademark Clearinghouse, and note that the objections period runs from 17 November 2026 to 16 March 2027.
Sources
Last updated:
