ICANN new gTLD program 2026 - key milestones

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ICANN New gTLD Program 2026 Round: Key Milestones

By Frédéric Guillemaut
Published 24 September 2026

Preparing audio ICANN New gTLD Program 2026 Round: Key Milestones

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Phase	Key milestone	Confirmed / indicative timing	Applicant impact	Expected Start date
Application Submission	Application window opens	30 April 2026	Applicants can submit their applications in TAMS.
Application Submission	Application window closes	12 August 2026, 23:59 UTC	No further applications can be submitted.
Fee Payment	Evaluation fee payment deadline	19 August 2026, or seven days after invoice issuance, whichever is later	Full payment is required for the application to proceed.
Administrative Check	Completeness and administrative review	After application closure	ICANN verifies whether applications meet the administrative requirements.	21 August 2026 to 6th of October
Reveal Day	Applied-for strings and public application data are published	Starting on the 7th of October 2026	Applicants can identify competing strings and potential contention sets.	7th of October 2026, 18:00 UTC
Communication restriction	Applicant in contention are forbidden to discuss the issue	Until contention stops or one string signs a Registry Agreement.	Applicants cannot discuss to resolve the contention on their own.
Replacement period	Applicants are able to choose their backup string.	8th of October to 21st of October 2026	Applicants may switch to the replacement string only during this period, and only if their replacement string is eligible.	8 October to 21 October 2026
String confirmation day	Icann publishes the final list of strings.	17th of November 2026	Icann publishes the final list of strings and contention sets.	17th of November 2026
Deadline for 65% Refund	This is the last day to get a 65% refund of an application fee	10 days after String Confirmation Day	Until this day, applicants withdrawing can get a 65% refund on their application fees.	27th of November 2026 is the limit.
Community Input	Application comments and governmental input	Following string confirmation Day	Third parties and governments may raise concerns regarding an application.	Start 18th of November 2026 to 16th of March 2027
Objections	Formal objection filing period	Following string confirmation Day	Applications may face String Confusion, Legal Rights, Community or Limited Public Interest objections.	Start 18th of November 2026 to 16th of March 2027
String Evaluation	Applied-for string reviews	Not before end of November	Strings are reviewed under the applicable technical and policy criteria.	End of November minimum. Expected to last 180 days
Deadline for the 35% Refund	35% refund of an application fee	11 days after String Confirmation Day until the end of String evaluation period.	Between these times, applicants withdrawing can get a 35% refund on their application fees.	From the 28th of November 2026 until the end of the string evaluation period (to be confirmed by ICANN)
Priorization Draw	Establishing an order to process the applications.	Semester 1 2027	This day, the order for the processing of application is drawn.	First half of 2027, after string evaluation period.
Applicant and Application Evaluation	Applicant and application assessments	Schedule to be announced	ICANN-appointed panels assess applications against the Guidebook requirements.
Contention Resolution	Resolution of identical or confusingly similar applications	After the relevant evaluation and objection stages	Applicants may need to resolve contention before proceeding.
Community Priority Evaluation	Priority assessment for eligible community applications	Where applicable; schedule to be announced	A successful community application may prevail within its contention set.
ICANN Auction of Last Resort	Final resolution of unresolved contention sets	Auction calendar not yet published	The remaining eligible applicant wins the right to proceed with the string. Private auctions are prohibited.
Deadline for the 20 % Refund	This is the last day to get a 20% refund of an application fee	Until contracting.	Until contracting with ICANN, applicants withdrawing can get a 20% refund on their application fees.
Contracting	Execution of the Registry Agreement	Following successful completion of applicable processes	Successful applicants enter into a Registry Agreement with ICANN.
Pre-Delegation and Delegation	Technical onboarding and addition to the DNS root	Following contracting and completion of applicable requirements	The new gTLD may be delegated and subsequently launched.	Expected 2028