This is a decisive step for the future of web addressing that has just been taken in Dublin. At its annual meeting ICANN84, the ICANN Board of Directors officially adopted the Applicant Guide for the next series of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Long awaited, this approval concretely paves the way for the 2026 round, marking the start of a new era for domain names.
Key takeaways:
- Official validation: The application guide for the 2026 round was adopted at the ICANN84 meeting.
- Imminent availability: ICANN must publish the final guide no later than December 30, 2025.
- Schedule: The application window will open at least four months after the guide is published.
A culmination after years of consultation
The adoption of this document is not a mere administrative formality; it represents the culmination of enormous community work. Tripti Sinha, the Board Chair, was quick to praise this achievement, calling it " key milestone ".
To reach this final version, it was necessary to incorporate more than 300 recommendations consensus policy recommendations from the global Internet community. The numbers speak for themselves: more than 250 hours of meetings were required for the review team to harmonize policies and their technical implementation. This process was also punctuated by five phases of public consultations, ensuring that the rules of the game for 2026 are the result of collective and transparent deliberation.
The next steps for prospective applicants
Although the Board has given the green light, the work does not stop there for ICANN. The ball is now in the court of the operational team (ICANN org), which is responsible for publishing the finalized Applicant Guide before December 30, 2025.
This deadline is crucial for the planning of companies and organizations wishing to submit an application. Indeed, a strict rule, set by the community, requires that this guide be available at least four months before the official opening of the application window.
By the end of the year, ICANN will therefore carry out a final review for minor adjustments and finalize discussions with dispute resolution service providers. The goal is to ensure that all protection mechanisms and procedures are perfectly aligned with the new guide from its launch.
Why is this new round strategic?
The new gTLD program goes beyond the simple creation of commercial extensions. It is an initiative designed to expand and modernize the Domain Name System (DNS).
For web professionals, brands and organizations, this 2026 round is an opportunity for innovation. It aims not only to stimulate competition in the domain market but also to promote greater cultural and linguistic diversity on the Web. The introduction of domain names in a wide variety of scripts (non-Latin) is one of the pillars of this expansion, reinforcing the universality and usefulness of the global Internet infrastructure.
The application guide will become the definitive reference resource for any entity considering creating its own extension. Find its still-unfinalized version at this address.
The article “Internet extensions: the 2026 application guide finally approved by ICANN” was published on the site Abondance.
