How do I learn if someone plans to submit the same new gTLD application as me in April 2026?

Finding out if someone is gunning for the same digital real estate as you is a bit of a waiting game, thanks to ICANN’s "silent period" during the application window.

Because applications are confidential until the window closes, you won’t know for certain who your competitors are until "Reveal Day."

1. The Official Timeline

The application window opens on April 30, 2026, and is expected to stay open for 12–15 weeks. During this time, ICANN does not publish a live list of applicants.

 * Reveal Day (Estimated October 2026): Once the window closes and ICANN completes its initial administrative checks, they will publish the full list of all applied-for strings and the names of the applicants.

 * Contention Sets: If your string matches or is "confusingly similar" to another, you will be placed in a Contention Set. ICANN will notify you formally at this stage.

2. Strategic "Intel" Before Reveal Day

While you can't see the official list early, you can look for breadcrumbs:

 * Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH): Check if others have registered the string as a trademark. While not a guarantee they’ll apply for a gTLD, it’s a strong indicator.

 * Industry Rumors: In the 2012 round, many "dot brand" applicants and major portfolio registries (like Identity Digital or Google) were vocal about their interests in trade publications.

 * The "Replacement String" Strategy: New for 2026, ICANN allows you to submit a "Replacement String" in your application. If your primary choice ends up in a contention set, you may have the option to pivot to your backup to avoid a costly auction or dispute.

3. Key Rule Change: No Private Auctions

In previous rounds, competitors often settled "contention" privately (sometimes for millions). For 2026, private resolutions and private auctions are prohibited. If you and another party apply for the same name and neither withdraws, you will likely head to an official ICANN Auction of Last Resort, where the highest bidder wins and the proceeds go to ICANN (not the losing party).

Should I own a registered trademark to submit a dotBrand new gTLD application to the ICANN in 2026?

📝 Registered Trademark Requirement for dotBrand

Yes, based on the requirements from the previous round and the current planning for the next round (expected to open in April 2026), a registered trademark is a mandatory requirement for a dotBrand (\text{.brand}) new gTLD application.

Here are the key points:

- String Match: The domain extension (the "string") you apply for must be identical to a registered trademark that your organization (the Registry Operator) owns.

- Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH): You must provide proof of this registered trademark, typically by having the mark recorded with the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH). This process helps verify the legitimacy of the brand name you are applying for.

- Restricted Use: The dotBrand gTLD is a restricted namespace, meaning only the Registry Operator, its affiliates, or trademark licensees are permitted to register second-level domain names (like website.yourbrand). This restriction is tied directly to the trademark ownership.

- Non-Generic: The applied-for string cannot be considered a "Generic String" (a standard dictionary word or common term).

In summary, for a dotBrand application, having a valid, registered trademark that matches the TLD string and registering it with the TMCH is a fundamental part of establishing your eligibility and right to the name.

🗓️ Important Dates for the Next ICANN Round (2026)

ICANN has provided a projected timeline for the next round of the New gTLD Program:

- Applicant Guidebook (AGB) Publication: The final AGB, which contains all the definitive rules and requirements, is expected to be published around December 2025.

- Application Window Opens: The application submission period is projected to open in April 2026 and last for approximately 12–15 weeks.

I recommend closely monitoring ICANN's official "New gTLD Program: Next Round" website for the final release of the Applicant Guidebook in late 2025, as this document will contain the definitive, non-negotiable rules for the 2026 application window.

Which strings cannot be submitted as new gTLD applications in the 2026 ICANN round?

In the upcoming 2026 ICANN New gTLD round, not all strings are eligible for application. ICANN enforces strict technical, public interest, and "confusing similarity" rules to protect the stability and security of the Domain Name System (DNS).

The following categories of strings cannot be submitted or will be blocked during the application process:

1. Technical & Formatting Prohibitions

Strings must meet specific syntax requirements to ensure they work across all internet software.

Too Short or Too Long: Strings must be between 3 and 63 characters long. Single-character (e.g., .a) and two-character (e.g., .ab) ASCII strings are prohibited.

Invalid Characters: Strings cannot contain digits (0–9), dashes (-), or special symbols. They must consist only of alphabetic characters (a–z) or valid Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) scripts.

Leading/Trailing Dashes: While dashes are generally banned in the TLD itself, they are also prohibited at the start or end of any internal label components.

2. Reserved & Blocked Names

ICANN maintains a Blocked Names List that prevents the registration of strings with high global sensitivity or technical risk.

Country and Territory Names: High-level names of countries and territories (e.g., .america, .france, .china) are generally reserved or require specific government support.

Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs): Strings that mimic the names of major international bodies (e.g., .olympic, .redcross, .un) are often protected.

Internal Technical Strings: Strings used for internal networking that could cause "name collision" are banned. This includes:

.local, .home, .corp, .lan, .onion

3. "Confusingly Similar" Strings

To prevent user confusion, ICANN will reject applications for strings that are visually or functionally too close to existing or other applied-for TLDs.

Existing TLDs: You cannot apply for a string that is a visual "look-alike" to an existing one (e.g., if .apple exists, a string that looks identical in another script might be blocked).

Plural vs. Singular: A major change for the 2026 round is the strict handling of singular and plural versions of the same word (e.g., if .sport exists, .sports may be deemed confusingly similar and blocked).

Variant Strings: For IDNs (non-Latin scripts), "variants" that are visually identical to the primary string are treated as part of the same application and cannot be applied for separately.

4. Policy-Based Prohibitions

Closed Generics: In the 2026 round, ICANN has determined that "Closed Generics" (generic terms like .book or .shoe that a single company wants to use exclusively for itself without opening registrations to others) are prohibited.

Brand TLD Constraints: For "dotBrand" applications, the string must exactly match a trademarked label in the Trademark Clearinghouse. You cannot apply for a brand string that does not have a matching Signed Mark Data (SMD) file.

How many new gTLD applications will be submitted to the ICANN in April 2026?

The official application window for ICANN’s New gTLD Program: Next Round is scheduled to open on April 30, 2026.

Because this is the very first day of a 12–15 week submission period, the exact number of applications that will be submitted specifically within the month of April 2026 is unknown, but it is likely to be a small fraction of the total. Most organizations will use the full window to finalize their technical and financial documentation.

Estimated Total Applications

While ICANN does not have a "fixed" number of applications, industry experts and ICANN's own planning documents suggest the following projections for the entire round:

Projected Range: Between 500 and 3,500 applications.

Specific Industry Plans: Some players have already announced major moves; for example, Nova Registry has publicly stated intentions to apply for at least 200 new gTLDs.

Historical Context: In the previous round (2012), ICANN received 1,930 applications. Experts anticipate this round could be similar or slightly larger due to the rise of ".brand" domains and Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) in non-Latin scripts.

Key Factors Influencing the Number

High Entry Cost: The application fee is set at $227,000 per gTLD. This significant investment naturally limits the pool to established corporations, well-funded startups, and government entities.

Process Complexity: The 2026 round features an expanded Applicant Guidebook (AGB) with over 200 questions, requiring extensive technical, financial, and legal preparation.

Brand Strategy: Many global brands that sat out in 2012 are expected to participate this time to secure their own digital namespaces (e.g., .brand).

Important Dates for 2026:

• Application Window: Opens April 30, 2026
• Submission Period: Duration 12 to 15 weeks
• Projected Window Close: July – August 2026
• Initial Evaluation Results Expected 2027

Note: ICANN has mandated that the final Applicant Guidebook be available at least four months before the window opens. It was officially adopted in late 2025 to ensure the April 30, 2026, launch date remains on track.