ICANN Reveals 2026 Round Applications for New Generic Top-Level Domains

ICANN published applications for the 2026 round of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), revealing 1,615 applications from organizations worldwide seeking to expand the domain name system. The applications include brand applications, community-based initiatives, and internationalized domain names, with submissions coming from all regions globally, led by North America with 864 applications. ICANN will now proceed through a structured evaluation process, starting with a replacement period allowing applicants to switch to alternate domain strings if desired.