Thursday, 18 May 2026

 

ICANN Community Digest

 

 

 

 

The ICANN organization Policy Development Support function publishes this twice-weekly digest

to help ICANN community groups track requests and follow updates.

 

Do you have any ideas for improving the ICANN Community Digest?

Write to us at policyinfo@icann.org!

 

Table of Contents

 

ICANN86

·     Prep Week

·     Schedule

·     PRSP Pre-ICANN86 Briefing

Information Sharing

·      

2026 Round

·     DUE TODAY: Pre-submitted questions for final TAMS Q&A webinar due by 18 May

·     New gTLD Program: 2026 Round Opens Today

·     ICANN Opens Second Application Period for the 2026 Round RSP Evaluation Program

·     ICANN 2026 Round Application System User Guide, Support Model Available

Webinars

·     ICANN to Host Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants

·     THIS WEEK: Webinar Series on 2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes

🚨 Action Items 🚨

·     Call for Expressions of Interest: ICANN 2027 NomCom Chair and Chair-Elect

·     ICANN Extends Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 2026 Round Independent Objectors

·     ICANN Issues Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Auction

·     ICANN Board Seeks Input on Additional Funds for 2026 Round Applicant Support Program

·     ICANN Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Financial and Operational Evaluation

·     ICANNWiki Seeking Volunteers

Public Comment

·     Additional Reference Label Generation Rules and Related Updates

Events

·     These events occur in May 2026.

 

 

 

 

DUE TODAY: Pre-submitted questions for final TAMS Q&A webinar due by 18 May

 

ICANN will host its final 2026 Round TAMS Q&A webinar on 26 May. 

Attendees are invited to submit questions using this submission form. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

Pre-submitted questions are due by 18 May. 

 

Register. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

New gTLD Program: 2026 Round Opens Today

 

New gTLDs have demonstrated their benefits in building brand trust, creating vibrant local digital ecosystems, and providing more intuitive navigation for users.

 

2026 Round Launch Page [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

Press Release [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

Announcement [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

ICANN Opens Second Application Period for the 2026 Round RSP Evaluation Program

 

The second application period for the RSP Evaluation Program runs from 30 April to 12 August 2026.

 

Read more. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

ICANN 2026 Round Application System User Guide, Support Model Available

 

ICANN has made several resources available to help prospective applicants familiarize themselves with ICANN's TLD Application Management System (TAMS). This online system will be used by all applicants, evaluation panelists, and ICANN staff to submit, manage, and process new gTLD applications.

 

These resources are available to help prospective applicants prepare for the application completion and submission process through TAMS:

 

System user guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Demo videos

Q&A webinar recordings

 

Read more. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

Webinars

 

ICANN to Host Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants

 

Date: 26 May, 16:00 UTC

 

Read more and register. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

THIS WEEK: Webinar Series on 2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes

 

Introduction: 19 May, 14:00 UTC | 26 May, 06:00 UTC

 

WIPO, Dispute Resolution Service Provider: 20 May, 14:00 UTC | 27 May, 06:00 UTC

 

International Chamber of Commerce, Dispute Resolution Service Provider: 21 May, 14:00 UTC | 28 May, 06:00 UTC

 

Read more and register. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

Action Items

 

Call for Expressions of Interest: ICANN 2027 NomCom Chair and Chair-Elect

 

The Chair position blends time management and negotiation skills with the practical aspects of conducting a worldwide search for individuals to fill various ICANN leadership positions.

 

Deadline: 29 May 2026

 

Read more. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

ICANN Extends Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 2026 Round Independent Objectors

 

The Independent Objectors will file Community and Limited Public Interest objections and appeals, and participate in mediation, where appropriate.

 

Deadline: 01 June 2026

 

Read more. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

ICANN Issues Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Auction

 

The selected provider will implement the ascending-clock, second-price auction method and must have the capability to accommodate a high volume of auctions, including both direct and indirect contention sets.

 

Deadline: 2 June 2026

 

Read more. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

ICANN Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Financial and Operational Evaluation

 

The Financial and Operational Evaluation occurs during the applicant evaluation phase of the New gTLD Program, expected to begin in Q3 2027.

 

Deadline: 12 June 2026

 

Read more. [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

 

 

ICANNWiki Seeking Volunteers

 

ICANNWiki is seeking volunteers to assist with creating and editing articles and content for the site. Do you want to help? Getting started is as simple as requesting an account [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]. Then, make sure to read the short content guide [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net] to get a feel for what belongs in the wiki. Also, feel free to take a look at some data [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]source suggestions [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net] on where to find reliable data. Happy editing!

 

Public Comment

 

Additional Reference Label Generation Rules and Related Updates [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net]

Submissions Opening Date: Tuesday, 12 May 2026

Submissions Closing Date: Tuesday, 23 June 2026

 

 

 

 

Events

 

These events occur in May 2026.

To learn more, please visit our community engagement calendar [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net].

·     RIPE 92

·     DNSSEC workshop in Yamoussokro, Cote d'Ivoire

·     2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes - ICANN hosts 1 of 2

·     Africa Tech Policy Summit

·     2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes - World Intellectual Property Organization hosts 1 of 2

·     2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes - International Chamber of Commerce hosts 1 of 2

·     Nordic Domain Days

·     LACNIC 45

·     Fórum da Internet do Brasil

·     ITU Regional Development Forum and the Second Africa Preparatory Meeting (APM) for the 2026 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26).

·     2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes - ICANN hosts 2 of 2

 

Volume 8, Issue 35 | Archive [danh45uab.cc.rs6.net] | Next Issue: Thursday, 21 May 2026

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