ICANN85 Mumbai and the New gTLD Timeline: What Applicants Should Know Before They Apply for New gTLDs

ICANN’s 85th public meeting kicked off in Mumbai this week, and for those of us closely following the New gTLD Program, this meeting delivered one of the most important updates we have been waiting for — the official timeline for the next application round. Despite travel uncertainties that affected some participants this week, a strong number of people still showed up in Mumbai, which clearly shows how much momentum has been building around the next round of new top-level domains.

During ICANN85, ICANN took the opportunity to clearly outline what the upcoming process will look like and when major milestones are expected to happen. For businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities considering whether to apply for new gTLDs, these announcements provide an important roadmap. The next round is no longer a distant policy discussion — it is now a real operational timeline that organizations need to prepare for.

ICANN85 Mumbai New gTLD timeline

Apply for New gTLD: The Official Application Timeline Begins April 30, 2026

ICANN confirmed that the application window for the next round will officially open on April 30, 2026. That date is interesting because ICANN had previously promised the window would open in April, and April 30 happens to be the very last day of that promise. Once the system opens, applicants will have 104 days to submit their applications, with the final deadline expected to fall on August 12, 2026.

A key point that ICANN emphasized again is that the application process is not first-come, first-served. Many potential applicants still assume submitting earlier improves their chances, but that is not how the program works. All applications submitted within the window are treated equally. What truly matters is submitting a complete, well-prepared application that passes ICANN’s technical, financial, and operational evaluation criteria.

For organizations planning to apply for new gTLDs, this means preparation should start well before the application window opens.

New gTLD Application Support: What Happens After the Application Window Closes

After the application window closes in August, ICANN will move into a processing phase where it reviews submissions and prepares the list of applied-for strings. If the number of applications is similar to the 2012 round — roughly 2,000 applications — ICANN expects Reveal Day to take place before ICANN87 in Muscat in October 2026.

Reveal Day is one of the most important milestones in the entire program. Until that day, the applied-for strings remain confidential. When the list is published, the entire industry suddenly sees who applied for which top-level domains. This moment often reveals surprising strategies, new generic domain ideas, and unexpected competition between applicants.

For anyone working with New gTLD Application Support services, this is also the stage where strategic decisions begin to emerge based on the competitive landscape.

Replacement Strings and Strategic Decisions When You Apply for New gTLD

One of the interesting additions to this round is the introduction of replacement strings. After Reveal Day, applicants will have a 14-day window during which they can switch their application to a pre-selected backup string.

This option could become valuable in situations where an applicant suddenly discovers they are facing strong competition in a contention set or if their chosen string appears likely to attract objections. In the 2012 round, applicants did not have this flexibility, so this new feature provides additional strategic options for those navigating the process.

Once this window closes, ICANN will move to String Confirmation Day, expected sometime in November 2026. At that point, applicants are locked into their chosen strings and can no longer make changes.

New gTLD Objection Period - How to Navigate?

Following String Confirmation Day, the program enters the objection period, which lasts 104 days. During this stage, companies, communities, and other stakeholders can formally challenge applications on specific grounds, including intellectual property rights, community objections, or broader public interest concerns.

Governments also participate in this stage through the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC). Individual governments can issue GAC Early Warnings to signal concerns about specific applications. While these warnings do not automatically stop an application, they often indicate that applicants may face regulatory or political scrutiny.

For companies applying for their own brand extension, working with experienced DotBRAND Advisors can help anticipate these risks and develop strategies to address potential objections before they arise.

Prioritization Draw and the Evaluation Order

Another milestone expected around December 2026 is the Prioritization Draw. This draw determines the order in which applications will be evaluated.

During the 2012 round, the prioritization draw played a significant role because the TLDs that launched first enjoyed a strong first-mover advantage. Many early registries benefited from speculative domain registrations and early market visibility. Today, however, the domain landscape has changed considerably, with hundreds of TLDs already available, so the influence of the draw may not be as dramatic as it once was.

How to Create a Top Level Domain: String Similarity and Contention Sets

After the prioritization draw, ICANN will conduct the String Similarity Review, a process that evaluates whether applied-for TLDs are visually or phonetically similar. If two or more applications are considered confusingly similar, they will be placed into what are known as contention sets.

Applicants in contention sets must resolve the situation either through private agreement, auction mechanisms, or other ICANN-approved processes.

ICANN is still in the process of selecting the vendor responsible for this review and developing the detailed guidelines for how the evaluation will be conducted.

For organizations exploring how to create a top level domain, understanding these processes is essential because string similarity and contention risks often influence the strategic choice of the TLD itself.

New gTLD Application: Why Preparation Matters Now

For organizations considering the opportunity to apply for new gTLDs, the most important takeaway from ICANN85 is simple — the timeline is now real.

April 2026 may appear months away, but preparing a successful application requires significant planning. The process involves selecting the right TLD string, assessing potential contention risks, choosing a registry service provider, preparing financial documentation, and building a long-term registry business strategy.

This is why many applicants work with New gTLD consulting experts who guide them through the preparation process, ensuring the application meets ICANN’s requirements and avoids common pitfalls.

A Personal Note From a New gTLD Consultant

From my perspective as someone who has been closely involved with this program for years, ICANN85 feels like a turning point. For a long time, the next round was discussed mostly in policy meetings and community consultations. Now we finally have concrete dates and a clear operational timeline.

Opportunities to create new top-level domains do not come around often. When they do, they expand the infrastructure of the internet itself and create new digital spaces for businesses, communities, and innovators.

With the timeline now mapped out, organizations that want to apply for new gTLDs should begin preparing seriously. Because once the application window opens, those 104 days will move much faster than most people expect.