About & the 2026 round

A transparent public tracker for the ICANN 2026 new gTLD round. Every entry is linked directly to its verified primary source. Published by RapidWombat.

Window Closed

12 Aug 2026

1,600+ applications

Initial Fee

$227,000 USD

Per primary application

Replacements

1,100+ strings

Designated backup exits

Reveal Day

October 2026

Date announced mid-Sept

Why this exists

The application window closed on 12 August 2026. ICANN will not publish the list of applied-for strings until Reveal Day (expected October). Totals cannot be confirmed until every applicant has paid ( Domain Incite, 17 Aug 2026 ). Until then, the only record is what applicants disclose publicly. This site aggregates those claims and links each one back to its origin ( ICANN announcement ).

Two rule changes that decide where money goes

1. Private settlements are prohibited

In the 2012 round, contention sets cleared primarily through private auctions where winners paid losers to withdraw. The 2026 Applicant Guidebook strictly prohibits private resolution and bans communication between competing applicants from Reveal Day onward. Contention resolves only via replacement strings, Community Priority Evaluation (CPE), or ICANN auctions. Applicant Guidebook §5.2.3

2. The 14-day replacement window

Over 1,100 applications include a designated replacement string. From Reveal Day, an applicant in contention has 14 days to switch to their backup string unilaterally and irreversibly.

Next round milestones

Mid-September 2026: ICANN announces the date for Reveal Day.
October 2026 (Reveal Day): Applied-for strings and contention sets become public.
14 Days Post-Reveal: Replacement period for unilateral string switches.
November 2026: String Confirmation Day and Prioritization Draw.

How facts are verified

Every claim on this site is classified by evidence strength with an automated check that the source URL remains online:

Announced

Direct on-the-record applicant statement.

Reported

Publication report citing the applicant.

Unattributed

Public forum mention or industry comment.

Contention notice

Public claims are not official ICANN contention sets. ICANN determines contention sets only after Reveal Day. This tracker records voluntary disclosures, grades no applications, and predicts no outcomes.

Corrections

To request a correction or update for a recorded claim, contact us at rapidwombat.com. All changes are recorded transparently.

Not affiliated with ICANN. Not legal advice. Applicants should consult the official ICANN Applicant Guidebook and legal counsel.