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Introduction
As the ICANN 84 in Dublin (October 15 to 30, 2025) approaches, anticipation is building around a pivotal milestone: the expected adoption of the final Applicant Guidebook (AGB). This long-awaited document will mark the last major step before the official launch of ICANN’s Next Round of new gTLDs, expected in 2026.
The first expansion of the ), launched in 2012, brought over 1,200 new domain extensions such as .shop, .bank, .paris, and .google. However, that expansion also exposed significant challenges, technical complexity, high costs, limited diversity, and ongoing issues around rights protection and DNS abuse.
ICANN’s upcoming round aims to learn from these lessons and create a more balanced, inclusive, and secure program, reshaped to meet the demands of today’s Internet: more global, more commercial, and more sensitive to cybersecurity and brand protection.
A restructured program for a new internet era
The Next Round will introduce several reforms designed to simplify the process while promoting fairness and technical reliability. Central to this is the Registry Service Provider (RSP) pre-evaluation system, ensuring that only pre-qualified technical backends can operate new extensions.
At the same time, ICANN is emphasizing inclusion through the Applicant Support Program (ASP), which offers substantial fee reductions (up to 85%) and mentorship for applicants from developing regions or limited-resource organizations. This initiative aims to support community, linguistic, or public-interest TLDs, long underrepresented in the DNS landscape.
Timeline and key milestones
The preparatory phase for the Next Round is finished. The pre-evaluation of Registry Service Providers (RSPs) started in November 2024 and finished in May 2025. This step allows ICANN to certify the technical operators that may later be selected by applicants, ensuring a uniform baseline of technical quality and security.
Simultaneously, the Applicant Support Program (ASP) was launched on November 19, 2024, giving resource-limited applicants early access to assistance and mentoring. The deadline to apply for support is currently set for November 19, 2025, with a possible one-month extension until December 19, 2025. Once the ASP phase closes, ICANN will identify the successful candidates before the main application period begins.
The final version of the Applicant Guidebook is expected to be published around December 2025, following the public comment period opened in May 2025. The application window itself is projected to open in April 2026 and remain open for approximately 12 to 15 weeks.
From mid-2026 onward, ICANN will begin the evaluation, contention, and objection processes, depending on the number of applications received and the challenges filed. Finally, from late 2026 into 2027, successful applicants will sign their Registry Agreements and move toward delegation of their new extensions.
What has already happened
Registry Service Provider (RSP) Pre-Evaluation
Unlike the 2012 round, applicants must now select an ICANN-approved technical provider. This measure prevents redundant evaluations, enforces uniform security standards, and improves DNS resilience. Over 50 providers have entered this pre-evaluation phase, with results expected by the end of 2025.
Applicant Support Program (ASP)
The ASP is designed to democratize access to the DNS. It provides financial assistance, technical mentorship, and operational guidance to smaller entities and organizations in emerging economies. Applicants are not required to disclose their proposed string at this stage, preserving confidentiality and encouraging participation in the public-interest space.
The Applicant Guidebook (AGB)
On May 30, 2025, the Applicant Guidebook was published in draft form. It sets out the complete framework for the new gTLD application process, including evaluation criteria, objection mechanisms, technical and financial requirements, and rights protection measures. It also strengthens mechanisms such as the URS and UDRP and introduces new obligations for DNS abuse prevention.
A complementary Base gTLD Registry Agreement introduces a 10-year term, stricter renewal standards, and stronger abuse reporting duties.
Clearing the 2012 Backlog
ICANN has begun resolving or closing unresolved applications from 2012, including .GCC, .WEB, and .WEBS, ensuring that these long-contested strings can re-enter the 2026 process without administrative obstacles.
What to expect at ICANN 84 (Dublin, October 25 to 30, 2025)
The Dublin meeting will likely confirm several decisive steps:
- Board approval of the final Applicant Guidebook.
- Publication of the qualified RSP list.
- Progress reports from the ASP and the Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG).
- GAC (Governmental Advisory Committee) sessions addressing public interest safeguards, geographic names, and DNS abuse.
Governments are expected to tighten oversight on sensitive identifiers, including geographic, cultural, and linguistic terms, and emphasize transparency and accountability across registry operations.
Anticipated Challenges
While the framework has evolved, familiar tensions from 2012 are likely to resurface:
- String contention: Competing applications (e.g., .music, .hotel, .shop) may lead to auctions or negotiations.
- Rights protection: Brand owners must once again monitor applications to prevent trademark misuse or cybersquatting.
- Speculation and warehousing: ICANN will impose stricter “intent-to-operate” conditions to discourage speculative filings.
- DNS abuse: Enhanced scrutiny on security, phishing, and malware control.
- High costs and complexity: Despite simplifications, total costs may still range from USD 150,000 to 250,000, excluding legal and operational fees.
A Turning Point for the DNS
Beyond the procedural aspects, this new round has a broader policy and governance dimension. ICANN faces growing expectations to balance innovation with stability, as governments and rights holders call for stronger IP enforcement and faster takedown mechanisms.
For further insight on ICANN’s strategic role, please refer to our earlier article published on this topic.
Emerging technologies, AI-driven abuse detection, DNSSEC adoption, and identity-based models, could profoundly reshape compliance and monitoring obligations for registries.
Ultimately, this new wave of domain extensions represents more than a technical expansion. It is a strategic opportunity for businesses to:
- Secure new digital real estate for branding and innovation.
- Expand linguistic and geographic reach.
- Reinforce digital sovereignty and brand protection.
For policymakers and ICANN itself, Dublin 2025 will mark a defining moment, a delicate balance between openness and control, between innovation and trust. As the launch countdown begins, the Internet community will be watching closely to see whether ICANN has truly learned from 2012, and whether the next era of gTLDs will deliver a more responsible and sustainable Internet.
Conclusion
The upcoming launch of ICANN’s new gTLD program marks a historic evolution in Internet governance. More than a decade after the first expansion, the Next Round embodies a more structured, secure, and equitable approach to domain creation.
For companies, it will open unprecedented possibilities for innovation, marketing, and digital positioning, but also require vigilance and proactive brand defense. For ICANN and policymakers, it represents a test of credibility: ensuring that the mistakes of 2012 are not repeated while adapting to the realities of today’s Internet, shaped by cybersecurity imperatives, global diversity, and accountability demands.
When the final Applicant Guidebook is approved in Dublin, it will not only signal the beginning of a new application cycle, it will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Internet itself, one that must balance openness and control, innovation and trust.
Dreyfus & Associés assists its clients in managing complex intellectual property cases, offering personalized advice and comprehensive operational support for the complete protection of intellectual property.
Nathalie Dreyfus with the support of the entire Dreyfus team
Q&A:
1.What is a gTLD?
A gTLD (generic Top-Level Domain) is a generic domain name extension appearing at the end of an Internet address, such as .com, .org, .shop, or .paris. gTLDs serve to structure the Domain Name System (DNS) and provide new opportunities for communication, visibility, and digital positioning for businesses, institutions, and communities.
2. Why is a new round of gTLDs being launched?
The ICANN is launching a new round of gTLDs to foster innovation, competition, and diversity within the Internet ecosystem by allowing the creation of extensions tailored to specific brands, communities, languages, or business sectors..
3. What is the Applicant Guidebook (AGB)?
The Applicant Guidebook (AGB) is the official ICANN document setting out the rules, procedures, and requirements applicable to applicants seeking to operate a new gTLD. It defines the evaluation criteria, objection and dispute resolution mechanisms, and the technical, financial, and contractual obligations applicable to prospective registry operators.
4.What is the impact of this new round of gTLDs for trademark owners?
Businesses and trademark holders will need to:
- Closely monitor new gTLDs applications to detect any parasitic or infringing uses,
Assess strategic opportunities to apply for their own branded extension;Adapt their trademark-enforcement policies to the new objection and appeal mechanisms set out in the Applicant Guidebook (AGB).
5. How can companies prepare now?
It is recommended to:
- Identify strategic extensions to monitor or potentially apply for,
- Audit existing trademark and domain name portfolios,
- Establish internal responses procedures to react swiftly in case of publication of a problematic application;
- And anticipate the costs and timelines associated with a possible participation in the next round.
To learn more about how businesses can prepare for the introduction of new gTLDs, please refer to our earlier article published on this topic.