ICANN new gTLD 2026 Round Contracts PwC for Background Screening Services

ICANN announced on 15 October 2026 that it has contracted PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC to perform background screening for applicants in the New gTLD Program 2026 Round. The selection followed a competitive RFP process that began in November 2025.

Scope of PwC Background Screening for ICANN new gTLD Applicants

PwC will examine individual and organizational records, public filings, and other data to confirm that applicants meet the eligibility standards set in Section 6.1 of the 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook. The firm will apply its Corporate Intelligence and Integrity Due Diligence practice across multiple jurisdictions to identify any issues that could disqualify an applicant from operating a top-level domain.

Screening applies to all applicants except publicly traded companies listed on the world’s top 25 exchanges, which may qualify for a streamlined review. The process begins after string evaluation and contention resolution, where relevant, and forms part of the broader applicant evaluation phase that protects the stability of critical Internet resources.

ICANN selected PwC through its standard procurement procedures that emphasize technical specifications, quality controls, and overall value. The contract covers verification of corporate standing, financial history, and any adverse findings in regulatory or criminal records.

Status of the 2026 New gTLD Application Round

The application window closed on 12 August 2026 after opening on 30 April. ICANN received 1,616 paid applications from 481 distinct applicants covering approximately 986 unique strings and resulting in 263 contention sets. These figures were released publicly on 7 October 2026.

Current activity centers on the replacement-string period that runs from 8 to 21 October 2026. Applicants may submit alternative strings during this window if their original choice faces contention or other issues. String Confirmation Day is scheduled for 17 November 2026, after which the Community Input and Objections Period will run until 16 March 2027.

Full evaluation timelines, including contention resolution and delegation, extend into 2027. Background screening results will feed into later stages of the process once string-level reviews conclude.

Next Milestones and Evaluation Timeline

ICANN will publish additional guidance on the exact sequencing of screening reports and how they integrate with other evaluation modules. Applicants can track progress through the program’s established communication channels and the Applicant Guidebook.

The 2026 round builds on prior expansions of the DNS namespace by maintaining consistent standards for applicant integrity. PwC’s role ensures that only qualified entities proceed to delegation, reducing risks to registrants and the broader domain ecosystem.

Domain registrars and service providers should monitor the published schedule for updates on when evaluation outcomes become available and how they may affect string contention outcomes.