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

to help ICANN community groups track requests and follow updates.

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ICANN86

• Prep Week

Information Sharing

• NEW: ICANN Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Financial and Operational Evaluation
• NEW: Helping the Ombuds Office Learn and Improve
• NEW: What to Know About the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026

2026 Round

• NEW: Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants
• 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
• CLOSES MONDAY: ICANN Extends Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 2026 Round Independent Objectors

Webinars

• TUESDAY: ICANN to Host Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants
• Webinar Series on 2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes

🚨 Action Items 🚨

• CLOSES TOMORROW: ICANN Request for Proposal: Global Payroll Services
• ICANN Issues Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Auction
• ICANN Board Seeks Input on Additional Funds for 2026 Round Applicant Support Program
• ICANNWiki Seeking Volunteers

Public Comment

Events

• These events occur in May 2026.

NEW: Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants

Pre-submitted questions for the upcoming TAMS Q&A on 12 May webinar are due by 6 May. Attendees are invited to submit questions using this submission form.

Read more.

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

Press Release

Announcement

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.

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.

CLOSES MONDAY: 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: Monday 11 May

Read more.

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

Dates: 12 May, 16:00 UTC | 26 May, 16:00 UTC

Read more and register.

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.

CLOSES TOMORROW: ICANN Request for Proposal: Global Payroll Services

ICANN's preference would be to contract with one provider that can support all in-scope countries; however, under certain considerations ICANN may be open to selecting multiple providers as part of this initiative.


Deadline: 8 May 2026

Read more.

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.

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. Then, make sure to read the short content guide to get a feel for what belongs in the wiki. Also, feel free to take a look at some data source suggestions on where to find reliable data. Happy editing!

See upcoming proceedings.

See other public consultations.

These events occur in May 2026.

To learn more, please visit our community engagement calendar.

• Centr Jamboree
• APRALO Policy Forum - EURALO Joint Webinar: Understanding the Role of Trusted Notifiers in DNS Abuse
• West Africa IGF 2026
• Abrint Global Congress 2026
• At-Large Webinar: At-Large Webinar: At-Large Meets ICANN Contractual Compliance and NetBeacon Institute
• Africa–Europe AI Governance Roundtable | Africa Forward Summit
• DNS-OARC 46