ICANN : The New gTLD Program (Round 2026)

The Expansion of the Internet

A New Era for the Global Infrastructure

The New gTLD Program : Round 2026 is much more than a mere technical update, it is a major ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) initiative aimed at transforming the very architecture of the Web. This program represents the most significant effort to date to expand the global Domain Name System (DNS), thereby allowing the Internet’s infrastructure to evolve in step with the uses of our century.

Beyond .com and .org: Customizing the Web

For decades, digital identity has been largely confined to a few historical extensions such as .com, .net or .org. The new generic top-level domain (gTLD) program breaks these limits by enabling the creation of new tailor-made extensions.

Whether for geographic identities (ex: .paris), industry sectors (ex: .tech) or public interest missions (ex: .ong), this program offers organizations the opportunity to own and manage their own piece of cyberspace. These new extensions make it possible to create web addresses that are shorter, more memorable and above all more relevant for end users.

ICANN’s Mission: Diversity, Competition and Innovation

This expansion is at the heart of ICANN’s fundamental mission. By opening the DNS to new actors, the program pursues three essential objectives:

• Promote diversity : By encouraging the use of varied scripts and languages (internationalized domain names) so that the Internet finally reflects its users around the world.
• Foster competition : By breaking the monopolies of historical extensions to offer more choice and better services to consumers and businesses.
• Drive innovation : By enabling the emergence of new business models and new ways of interacting online, thus ensuring a dynamic, stable and forward-looking Internet.

Objectives of the 2026 Round

The 2026 round of the new gTLD program is not only a technical extension, it is a strategic initiative aimed at making the Internet more representative of human diversity. Here are the three fundamental pillars of this new phase:

A Truly Inclusive Internet: The Deployment of IDNs

One of the priority objectives of this round is to break the language barrier of the Web. Thanks to Internationalized Domain Names (IDN), the Internet frees itself from the single Latin alphabet.

• The challenge : Allow users to navigate using their own alphabets and scripts (Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Hindi, etc.).
• The impact : By supporting IDNs, ICANN enables millions of new users to appropriate digital tools in their native language, making the global infrastructure truly inclusive.

Universal Acceptance (UA): A Standard Without Borders

The creation of new extensions (whether long like .engineering or in non-Latin characters) only makes sense if they work everywhere. Universal Acceptance (UA) is the technical challenge that ICANN commits to address with this new round.

• The principle : Ensure that all valid domain names and all valid email addresses are accepted, stored, processed and displayed consistently by all applications, software and IT systems across the globe.
• The objective : Ensure a seamless user experience, where no extension suffers from technical discrimination.

Choice for Communities and Territories

The 2026 program places communities at the center of its strategy. Unlike classic commercial extensions, particular attention is given to projects that carry a strong identity.

• Community Applications : The program encourages organized groups (associations, indigenous peoples, professional sectors) to apply for extensions that protect and enhance their name and identity.
• Geographic Identities : Cities, regions and territories are invited to claim their online presence (such as extensions linked to specific cultures or geographic areas), thus offering citizens clear and trusted digital landmarks.

Key Innovations of Round 2026 (vs 2012)

The 2026 program introduces major structural changes to make the process more accessible, faster and less risky for applicants. Unlike the first round in 2012, three innovations radically transform the experience:

Applicant Support Program (ASP)

Designed to guarantee an equitable Internet, the Applicant Support Program (ASP) aims to make Round 2026 accessible to organizations that, despite limited financial or technical resources, carry high-impact projects.

• Financial assistance : Qualified applicants benefit from significant reductions on the base evaluation fees (set at 227 000 USD for standard applications) as well as on other application fees.
• Technical support : Support includes a training program, access to specialized advisors and services provided pro bono by expert providers.
• Advantage in case of contention : In the event of an auction to resolve a domain name contention, ASP beneficiaries receive a bid credit to strengthen their position.

Registry Service Provider Evaluation (RSP): Simplified Management

ICANN has revised the technical process to reduce costs and timelines through the Registry Service Providers (RSP) evaluation program.

• Separation of roles : From now on, the technical evaluation of the infrastructure (the “engine” of the registry) is separated from the evaluation of the applicant organization.
• Single evaluation : A technical provider (RSP) can be evaluated only once by ICANN for all the extensions it manages, thereby considerably simplifying each individual applicant’s file.

Replacement Strings: A Safeguard Against Conflicts

For the first time, the program introduces the concept of replacement strings to limit deadlock situations between applicants.

• Backup option : When submitting their application, each entity can submit an alternative character string in addition to its original choice.
• Amicable resolution : If the initial name is requested by multiple parties (contention), the applicant has the option, during a 14-day period after the publication of applications, to switch to their replacement name. This helps avoid lengthy dispute resolution procedures and costly auctions while ensuring the diversity of names on the Internet.

The applicant’s journey (The Applicant Journey)

The process of obtaining a new gTLD is a rigorous and structured journey designed to guarantee the security and stability of the global domain name system. Here are the five major stages of an application’s lifecycle:

Step 1 : Pre-filing and Eligibility

Before submitting a file, applicants must ensure they meet the basic criteria:

• Legal eligibility : Only legal entities (companies, NGOs, governmental institutions) can apply. Individual applications or sole proprietorships are excluded.
• Evaluation fees : The standard amount is set at 227 000 USD per application.
• ASP discount : Organizations eligible for the Applicant Support Program (ASP) may benefit from a 75% to 85% reduction, bringing fees down to approximately 34 500 USD to 56 750 USD.

Step 2 : Submission of applications (April – August 2026)

Registration is carried out exclusively online:

• TAMS System : All applications must be filed via the TLD Application Management System (TAMS).
• Filing window : The submission period is expected to open on 30 April 2026 and close on 12 August 2026 (duration of 105 days).
• Contents : The file includes detailed information about the organization, its financial capabilities and the technical project of the extension.

Step 3 : Technical and Financial Evaluations

Once filed, the application undergoes a series of examinations conducted by panels of independent experts:

• Background Screening : A mandatory step to guarantee the integrity of future registry operators.
• Financial and Operational Review : Assessment of the applicant’s ability to manage the extension over the long term.
• String Evaluation : Analysis of the requested extension to avoid risks of visual confusion with existing domains or threats to DNS stability.

Step 4 : Objections and Community Comments

As the Internet is a global resource, ICANN allows stakeholders to express themselves:

• Public comments : A 104-day period opens to allow the public to submit remarks on the published applications.
• GAC Early Warnings : Governments can issue reservations if an application raises issues of national sensitivity or public law.
• Right of objection : Third parties may file a formal objection on specific grounds: name confusion, legal rights (trademarks), limited public interest or opposition from a specific community.

Step 5 : Contracting and Delegation

The final phase marks the transition from “applicant” to “registry operator”:

• Signing the contract (Registry Agreement) : The successful applicant signs a standard agreement with ICANN defining its operational obligations.
• Delegation : Once the post-contractual technical tests are successfully completed, the extension is officially introduced into the DNS “root zone”, making it technically active and accessible on the global Internet.

Applicant Support Program (ASP)

ICANN is aware that the cost and technical complexity of an application can be major barriers for non-profit organizations. The Applicant Support Program (ASP) has been specifically designed so that financial barriers do not limit social innovation and the diversity of the Web.

A Massive Fee Reduction

This is the most tangible aspect of the program: allowing committed organizations to access the same resources as the industry’s giants.

• The advantage : Eligible applicants receive a 75% to 85% reduction on the base evaluation fees.
• The impact : While the standard fee is 227 000 USD, ASP support can bring this cost down to a much more accessible range for an NGO (between approximately 34 000 USD and 56 000 USD).
• Additional security : The program also provides payment facilities and credits for dispute resolution processes.

Beyond Money: Non-financial Support

The ASP does not simply write a check; it supports the applicant in the successful delivery of their technical and legal project.

• Legal and strategic advice : Access to experts to navigate ICANN’s complex contracts.
• Technical training : Dedicated sessions to understand the requirements of operating a domain name registry.
• Pro Bono Services : ICANN facilitates connections with service providers (technology, marketing or legal) who agree to intervene pro bono or at greatly reduced rates to support public interest projects.

Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Benefit?

Support is not automatic. It is reserved for applicants who demonstrate a real added value for the Internet community.

1. Financial need : The applicant must prove that, without this support, paying the full fees would represent a major hardship jeopardizing the organization or the project.
2. Public interest and mission : The application must serve a public interest objective (ex: education, human rights, community development, promotion of a minority language).
3. Management capacity : Although resources may be limited, the applicant must demonstrate that they have a viable plan to operate the domain in the long term.

The 2026 Round of the New gTLD Program is not simply a technical update, it is an invitation to redefine the geography of the Web. For projects like ARK, this expansion represents a historic opportunity to claim digital sovereignty, strengthen the identity of impact organizations and build a more inclusive, secure and representative Internet for our communities. By seizing tools like the ASP program, civil society actors can now play a leading role in the global DNS infrastructure.

To explore all official resources and follow the program’s evolution in real time, visit ICANN’s dedicated portal: https://newgtldprogram.icann.org/