ICANN Says 1,616 New Domain Ending Applications Will Proceed

New domain endings are on the way. ICANN, the group that runs the global domain name system, said on September 22 that 1,616 applications for new top level domains will move forward in its 2026 round.

A top level domain is the part after the last dot, like .com, .shop or .plumbing.

The Numbers

ICANN said it received 1,663 applications. Of those, 1,616 will proceed. The other 47 were not paid for, and ICANN said payment is required for an application to continue.

What Comes Next

The big date is Reveal Day. That is when ICANN makes the applications public, so everyone can see which endings were requested and by whom. ICANN expects Reveal Day "no later than 14 October."

ICANN also said it would share the rest of the 2026 schedule soon. That includes a period for public comments and formal objections. The data will appear on ICANN's application website. ICANN stressed that it "is the only source for complete and verified 2026 Round application information."

Domain Name Wire, which covered the news on September 23, named two applicants that had made their plans public. Registered Agents Inc., which owns the registrar Epik, applied for six endings. The German registrar INWX applied for .crew.

Why It Matters to a Local Business

Most of these endings will take time to launch. When they do, you may see new options that fit your trade or your town. You may also see new ways for others to use a name close to yours.

For now, there is nothing you need to do. Keep your main .com safe and renewed. When the list comes out in October, it is worth a look to see if an ending matches your industry or brand.