ICANN87 in Bali drew a bigger crowd than Dublin, even with the long trip for many attendees. Yet the hallways were noticeably quieter. As the first ICANN meeting after Reveal Day, it showed a community ready to engage with the 2026 new gTLD round, under rules that have changed how people do so.
Here’s what our team took away, and what it means for brand owners and domain managers. Watch the full webinar, ICANN87 Outcome & Insights, here.
1 The round is moving towards action
String Confirmation Day, when we learn which strings will be moving forward, on November 17 sets the next phase in motion. It starts ICANN’s string evaluation (expected to run until May 2027) and opens the comment and objection period, which runs through March 16, 2027.
Applicants should also note that November 27 is the last day to withdraw and recover 65% of the application fee. We expect most withdrawals to happen in this first phase. The prioritization draw has also moved to the first half of 2027. At this point, we could see the first delegations move to early 2028.
Not sure what’s been applied for in your space? Start with our new gTLD tracker to explore the full list of strings.
2 Contention plays by new rules
Applicants in contention can no longer discuss their applications with one another, and you could feel the difference in Bali. In 2012, many contention sets were resolved privately. This time, contention sets will go to auction if not resolved by applicants switching to their alternate strings. Most brand applicants do not face contention since unique trademarked strings rarely draw competing applications. Those with more generic trademarks are the exceptions, and November 17 will show who remains in each contention set.
3 You don’t need to be an applicant to weigh in
Anyone concerned about a string can submit a public comment or file a formal objection. For most enterprises, the relevant route is a legal rights objection, but the bar is high. Only about 4 of roughly 70 succeeded in 2012, and trademark rights alone usually aren’t enough. It is important to weigh the cost and merits before filing.
Comments carry less weight than objections, but they’re a useful way to raise concerns, and applicants can respond to them.
It’s also worth following the actions of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) in the coming months. An early warning from a single member can lead to consensus advice from the full committee, which the ICANN Board must then address. Applicants who receive advice have 21 days to respond.
4 DNS abuse policy will reach your day-to-day
For domain managers, this is an important area to watch. Two DNS abuse policy development processes are being prioritized, each at a different stage of progress. Much of the discussion at ICANN87 focused on the first policy development process, the associated domain checks. However, both policies have a goal of being completed by the time strings from the 2026 round start to delegate.
- Associated domain checks: Registrars would need to investigate other domains in the same account when one is confirmed abusive. The proposal was well received in public comment, and a final report is targeted for December 2026.
- Domain registrations at scale: New safeguards would apply before new customers gain API access, helping curb bulk registrations by bad actors. The scope and priorities for this proposed policy are still being defined.
- Future Proposed Work: Broader registry-level measures to address DNS abuse remain an area for consideration, with scope and timing yet to be determined.
One limit to keep in mind: ICANN’s definition of DNS abuse covers botnets, malware, pharming, phishing, and certain spam. Website content, including fraud and IP infringement, falls outside it, so those issues won’t be addressed by this work alone.
5 Registration data took a back seat, for now
Registration data got less airtime than usual in Bali, as the new round and DNS abuse policy work took center stage. Work continues, including a system to speed up responses to urgent requests from authorized law enforcement agencies, though no policy is in place yet. Expect more discussion at the next meeting.
What’s next
ICANN88 takes place in Lisbon on March 13–18, 2027, just as the comment and objection period closes. With evaluations further along by then, we expect a much deeper conversation about the applications themselves.
If you applied in this round, watch for details on our applicant webinar in early December.
