The ICANN Applicant Support Program for the 2026 new gTLD round closed with 56 qualified applicants out of 78 applications from five regions, ICANN reported on 26 August 2026. Africa accounts for 7 of the 56 and Latin America and the Caribbean for just 1, so new community or regional TLDs from those markets are possible but will be few. Which strings they applied for stays confidential until Reveal Day, and brand owners in the corridor should plan to check them then.
Update (October 2026): ICANN confirmed on 22 September that 1,616 applications will proceed in the 2026 round and later set Reveal Day for 7 October 2026, when the strings of all applicants, supported or not, become public. ICANN, 22 September 2026; ICANN, 29 September 2026.
Key takeaways
- ICANN received 78 support applications by 19 December 2025; 56 were fully approved.
- By region, approved applicants come from Asia-Pacific (30), North America (14), Africa (7), Europe (4) and Latin America and the Caribbean (1).
- Supported applicants get a 75-85% cut in the USD 227,000 evaluation fee and a bid credit of up to 35% in ICANN auctions.
- The strings they applied for will only be known on Reveal Day.
What did ICANN announce on 26 August?
In a blog post of 26 August 2026, Kristy Buckley, Senior Director of the New gTLD Program, reported that the programme had received 78 applications, which closed on 19 December 2025, and that 56 entities qualified. The programme targeted non-profits, social enterprises and community organisations from underserved and developing countries, without excluding private companies. The GNSO, the body that sets gTLD policy, aimed for supported applicants to account for at least 10 applications or 0.5% of new gTLDs delegated; ICANN says that goal may be surpassed.
Where do the supported applicants come from?
ICANN’s final programme statistics, updated on 21 August 2026, break down the 56 approvals:
| Region | Micro or small business, less-developed economy | Non-profit or charity | Other | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Latin America and Caribbean | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Europe | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Asia, Australia and Pacific | 14 | 15 | 1 | 30 |
| North America | 2 | 6 | 6 | 14 |
“Other” covers one Indigenous peoples’ organisation in Asia-Pacific and six social-impact small businesses in North America. Of all 78 applications, Africa submitted 10, of which 3 were terminated as incomplete when the system closed; Latin America submitted only 1.
What does the ICANN Applicant Support Program give them?
Under section 3.3.1.2 of the Applicant Guidebook, qualified applicants pay between USD 34,500 and USD 56,750 instead of USD 227,000, depending on the final number of supported applicants. Section 5.6.5 of Module 5 adds a bid credit in ICANN auctions of up to 35%, capped at USD 1.75 million per application and phased out when the winning price exceeds USD 5 million. In ICANN’s own example, a supported applicant that wins against a second-highest bid of USD 900,000 pays USD 585,000. The programme also offered non-financial help.
Will Latin America and Africa get their own gTLDs?
Some African strings are likely; Latin American ones from supported applicants will be rare. But support says nothing about what was applied for, and other applicants from both regions may have applied without it. Two Guidebook rules matter if the strings are geographic (section 7.5 of Module 7): country and territory names will not be approved, and capital cities, sub-national names and regions need documented support or non-objection from the relevant governments. A region name needs support from at least 60% of the region’s governments, with no more than one written objection.
What this means for your business
- On Reveal Day, check strings in your markets: city and regional names, and generic terms in Spanish, Portuguese and French.
- Read the registration policies of community and regional applications; eligibility rules may limit who can register your brand.
- Keep your Trademark Clearinghouse records current for sunrise periods.
- Note the objection window: a Legal Rights Objection is available if a string infringes your mark, whoever the applicant is.
Our domain name team tracking new gTLDs across Africa and Latin America can add these strings to your watch list.
Where brand owners misjudge small and regional TLDs
- Ignoring them because they are small. A local TLD can matter more to your customers in that market than a global one.
- Assuming restricted means safe. Eligibility rules protect the community, not necessarily your brand; check how names are allocated.
- Waiting for launch to act. Concerns about a string belong in the comment and objection period.
- Thin local rights. Registering your marks in the African and Latin American countries you target strengthens any later step; see our trademark registration service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ICANN Applicant Support Program?
It is ICANN’s scheme to make the 2026 new gTLD round accessible to entities with limited resources, such as non-profits and small businesses from less-developed economies. Qualified applicants receive a 75-85% reduction in the evaluation fee, a bid credit of up to 35% in auctions and non-financial assistance. Applications closed on 19 December 2025.
How many supported applicants are from Africa and Latin America?
According to ICANN’s statistics updated on 21 August 2026, 7 of the 56 fully approved applicants are from Africa and 1 is from Latin America and the Caribbean. Asia-Pacific has 30, North America 14 and Europe 4. Their strings remain confidential until Reveal Day.
Can IP Global Guard watch community and regional gTLDs for my brand?
Yes. We review the Reveal Day list for strings that affect your markets, check registration policies, prepare comments or Legal Rights Objections with WIPO where justified, acting directly where our professionals are entitled to and through qualified representatives otherwise, and coordinate local correspondents for related trademark filings.
How IP Global Guard can help in the corridor
IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, manages domain names and trademarks with one strategy and one billing relationship across more than 25 jurisdictions; see our coverage in Europe, Latin America and Africa.
Tell us which African and Latin American markets matter to you and which marks to watch. We will screen the new strings when they are published and flag any that need action. Send us your list of markets.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the position on its publication date.
Sources
- ICANN blog, ICANN 2026 Round Applicant Support Program closes on a high note (26 August 2026)
- ICANN, Applicant Support Program statistics (updated 21 August 2026)
- ICANN, 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook, Module 3 (3.3.1.2 fees for supported applicants)
- ICANN, 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook, Module 5 (5.6.5 bid credits)
- ICANN, 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook, Module 7 (7.5 geographic names)
- ICANN, ICANN confirms number of applications proceeding in the 2026 Round (22 September 2026)
- ICANN, ICANN announces date for Reveal Day and other 2026 Round milestones (29 September 2026)
