Round 2 Projected Timeline based on 2,000 applications received

The ICANN Round 2 new gTLD Application Window just opened and I noticed an update on the Timeline. See below.

Official info from ICANN is available here.

 

From 12 of August to Reveal Day = 9 weeks

When the window closes to submit new gTLD applications close(s) in August the 12, this can be a good moment to start your communication on your project.

Isn't it the perfect moment to announce the rest of the world that you are submitting an application to operate the .FLAMINGO Top-Level Domain?

August 12, 2026 is probably going to be one of these marvelous and exciting moment to watch all new gTLD initiatives website pop-up online.

A good place to inform the entire industry and other potential applicants will be the "ICANN New gTLDs & .BRANDs" group on LinkedIn.

You are welcome to join the 3,000 subscribers and post about your project mid-august.

The Applicant Guidebook: questions for the AI

Some questions asked to multiple AIs sometimes return answers from the first Applicant Guidebook dated 2012. Some answers also return with lots of precision.

• New gTLD Program: Replacement Strings?
• Applications Not Included in the Prioritization Draw in the next Round of new gTLDs
• What are the Fundamental Obligations of Registry Operators in relation to Registrars?
• ICANN new gTLDs: What are the Clarifying Questions?
• ICANN new gTLDs: What is the Prioritization Draw?
• How do I learn if someone plans to submit the same new gTLD application as me in April 2026?
• Should I own a registered trademark to submit a dotBrand new gTLD application to the ICANN in 2026?
• Which strings cannot be submitted as new gTLD applications in the 2026 ICANN round?
• How many new gTLD applications will be submitted to the ICANN in April 2026?
• Brand and Trademark Protections in the new gTLD program: what should an applicant know?
• What are the Different gTLD Application Types in the next ICANN new gTLD Round?
• Round 2 of new gTLDs: what are Replacement String and the Replacement Period?
• What are GAC Member Early Warnings and GAC Consensus Advice in the next ICANN new gTLD Round?

Answer here.

The gTLD Report for "Round 2" in 2026

The gTLD Report offers monthly snapshots of new gTLD registration volumes and we just updated the report for January 2026.

For the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program to start in April 2026, we have added another column entitled "Round".

According to each new gTLD launching starting 2026, we will add corresponding strings to the right report and indicate if the string counts for the first round of the ICANN new gTLD program from 2012 or the new one from 2026.

We will announce each new Registry on LinkedIn and Bluesky.

Jovenet Consulting: a new chapter

Jovenet Consulting is a company which operated between the first and the second round of the ICANN new gTLD program.

Highly focused on new gTLD innovation, its owner Jean Guillon, was offered to continue developing more innovative projects with new partners.

Check my LinkedIn profile for more and don't forget to join the new gTLD group on LinkedIn.

I am happy to connect soon ;-)

2 more new gTLDs identified for Round 2?

 More new gTLD projects are announced. Two more were identified:

1. The .MEOW new gTLD: "A domain for the Queer Community, by the Queer Community".
2. The .AGENT new gTLD: "Its purpose is to explore how AI agents can be given recognizable, accountable, and globally interoperable identities on the open Internet, aligned with existing Internet governance principles and the global public interest".

We announce all upcoming new gTLD projects on the LinkedIn new gTLD group.

ICANN published the official 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook

It took the ICANN more than a decade and, here we are, the new 2026 version of the new gTLD Applicant Guidebook was just published.

Expect more changes but this "Bible" is basically what all new gTLD service providers have been following the development of for the past few years.

For newcomers to the program willing to create their own domain name extension, I suggest to start page 21 with the "Module 1 The Applicant Journey".

Existing scammers digging for information and requesting details - and I am sorry to underline that they are present right now (Consultants: be careful and come share your experience with me as I have identified a major one) - I suggest the reading of "1.1.5 Good Faith Intent" (page 22). 

Download the latest version of the "AGB" here.

New gTLD Innovation in 2026, a €4M annual income in 5 years

Project "John Wolley"

The Universal Directory

Project John Wolley is a concept of universal yellow pages based on the use of a single .BRAND domain name extension where each domain name is a city or a village's name.

White and Yellow Pages exist in most countries but no directory exists

for the entire world. Project “John Wolley” offers to use one single

domain name extension to operate one global directory. Each city

name becomes a domain name and each domain name is one

local directory.

Download the pitch