The 2026 New gTLD Round Has Zero Arabic Strings: We Analysed 1,614 ICANN Applications and What It Means for Egyptian Businesses
Short answer: On 2 November 2026 we analysed ICANN's full public application export for the 2026 new gTLD round: among 1,614 published applications there is not a single Arabic-script string, no applicant from Egypt or North Africa, and only 8 applications from two Arab countries. For Egyptian businesses, the Arabic options stay the same: .مصر and the Arabic TLDs already in the root. What matters now is watching new sector TLDs and the 17 November 2026 milestones.
The 2026 new gTLD round is the first time in more than a decade that ICANN has let companies and organisations apply to run a new generic top-level domain, such as a .brand, a city name or an industry word. The application window closed on 12 August 2026 and the applications were revealed on 7 October 2026. This article does not repeat the news. It offers our own data reading of the application file from an Egyptian and Arab angle, then turns it into a practical plan for business owners, clinics and online shops.
Where does the 2026 new gTLD round stand? The timeline in brief
According to ICANN's Reveal Day announcement, the window ran from 30 April to 12 August 2026 and ICANN received 1,615 applications, including 333 brand applications, 21 Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) applications and only 16 applications from Africa. The official milestones page sets out what comes next:
- 8–21 October 2026: the Replacement Period, when applicants could switch to a pre-selected alternate string.
- 17 November 2026: String Confirmation Day, when the final list of applied-for strings and updated contention sets are published.
- 27 November 2026 (23:59 UTC, i.e. 01:59 on 28 November Cairo time): the deadline to withdraw an application and receive a 65% refund of the evaluation fee.
- 17 November 2026 – 16 March 2027: the Community Input and Objections Period, covering application comments, Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) Member Early Warnings and objections.
We analysed 1,614 applications in the 2026 new gTLD round: what did we find?
On 2 November 2026 (09:31 Cairo time) the Smart One Group team downloaded the full export from ICANN's official application publication platform and compared it with the list of TLDs actually in the IANA root zone (version 2026110100). The file contains 1,614 published primary applications, with application number 1,615 still under administrative check according to the platform itself, plus 1,169 replacement strings. The primary applications cover 986 distinct strings.
| Indicator | Result |
|---|---|
| Applications with an Arabic-script string (primary, replacement or variant) | 0 |
| Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) applications | 21: 20 in Chinese and Japanese characters and one Latin (québec) |
| Applications from Egypt | 0 |
| Applications from North Africa (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Mauritania) | 0 |
| Applications from Arab countries | 8: seven from the UAE and one from Jordan |
| Applications from all of Africa | 16: from Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa and Kenya |
| Brand applications | 333, none from an Egyptian company |
| Largest contention set | .agent with 13 applicants, then .bit with 11 |
Zero Arabic strings in an entire round
ICANN opened this round to dozens of scripts, Arabic included. Yet no Arabic-script string appears anywhere in the file: not as a primary string, a replacement string or a variant. The absence of Arabic applications means no new Arabic generic TLD will be added to the internet from this round.
No application from Egypt and only eight from the Arab world
The eight Arab applications came from the UAE (seven applications for Latin-script generic or technical strings) and Jordan (one brand application from a bank). No entity located in Egypt applied, whether a company, a government body or a community. Most applications came from the United States, Malta, the Cayman Islands, Japan and China.
How does the 2026 round compare with 2012 for Arabic?
The IANA root zone database shows 32 delegated Arabic-script TLDs today: 21 country-code TLDs for countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and 11 generic TLDs from the previous round, including .موقع (site), .شبكة (web), .كوم (com), .عرب (arab) and .ابوظبي (Abu Dhabi). Two Arabic generic TLDs, .اتصالات and .موبايلي, have been retired from the root.
The .مصر (masr) TLD remains Egypt's Arabic-script country-code TLD. It is managed by the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and has been delegated in the root since 5 May 2010. In other words: the first round added Arabic generic TLDs, and the second round added none.
What does this mean for Egyptian businesses?
- Your Arabic online identity runs through .مصر or the existing Arabic TLDs: do not wait for a new Arabic TLD; consider registering your Arabic name under .مصر alongside .eg and .com.eg.
- Arabic names need universal acceptance testing: an Arabic domain only helps if email, forms and apps accept it, as we explained in our universal acceptance and Arabic email guide.
- There is no TLD carrying your brand: no Egyptian company applied for a brand TLD, so brand protection still relies on traditional domains and on watching new TLDs when they launch.
- Global competition centres on AI and technology: the most contested strings, such as .agent, .api, .bit and .hub, mirror market trends and may later appear in competitors' or suppliers' web addresses.
Sector TLDs that may affect your business
Many industry words have been in the root since the previous round, so they were not applied for again. The table below separates existing TLDs from those applied for in the 2026 new gTLD round, based on data as of 2 November 2026:
| Sector | Already in the root | Applied for in the 2026 round |
|---|---|---|
| Clinics and healthcare | .clinic, .doctor, .dental, .dentist, .health, .hospital, .pharmacy | .therapy (7 applicants), .lab (7 applicants), .pharma (one application), .dentistry (replacement string) |
| Accounting and finance | .accountant, .accountants, .tax | .accounting and .audit (one application each), .account |
| Hosting and technology | .hosting, .cloud, .shop | .server and .dns (two applicants each), .mail and .cyber (one application each) |
| Marketing and AI | Dozens of existing generic TLDs | .agent (13 applicants), .seo (replacement string) |
A replacement string is a back-up choice the applicant set in advance; whether it is used will only be confirmed on String Confirmation Day, 17 November 2026.
A 7-step plan for the 2026 new gTLD round
- Search for your brand: open the application publication platform, search for your company and flagship product names, and repeat the search after 17 November 2026 when the final list is out.
- Decide your position before 16 March 2027: if an application touches a trademark you own, this is the official comment and objection window; consult an intellectual property lawyer before acting.
- Record your trademark ahead of Sunrise periods: new TLDs usually open with a period reserved for trademarks recorded in the Trademark Clearinghouse, which costs less than recovering a domain later.
- Tidy up your current portfolio: secure the basics first, .eg or .com.eg and .com, then .مصر for your Arabic name. See our .eg registration guide for the required documents.
- Pick one sector TLD to watch: a clinic watches .therapy and .lab, an accounting firm watches .accounting and .audit, and a tech company watches .server, .dns and .agent.
- Test your Arabic domain: try email, forms and booking systems with Arabic addresses before relying on them in campaigns.
- Document ownership and renewals: register every domain in the company's name, in an account that management controls, with auto-renewal and expiry alerts.
For the full picture of what to do if you did not apply, see our earlier article on Reveal Day and brand protection.
Frequently asked questions
Are there Arabic TLDs in the 2026 new gTLD round?
No. According to ICANN's published application file as of 2 November 2026, none of the 1,614 published applications is for an Arabic-script string, whether as a primary string, a replacement string or a variant.
Did any Egyptian company apply for a new TLD?
No. The file contains no applicant located in Egypt and no applicant from North Africa. The 16 African applications came from Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa and Kenya.
What is the difference between .مصر and .eg?
Both are Egypt's country-code TLDs. .eg is written in Latin letters and is managed by the Egyptian Universities Network under the Supreme Council of Universities, while .مصر is written in Arabic, has been delegated since 5 May 2010 and is managed by NTRA, according to IANA records. .مصر suits Arabic company and brand names.
When can I register domains under new TLDs such as .therapy or .lab?
No date has been set. ICANN expects the String Evaluation Stage to last about 180 days, followed by a Prioritization Draw in the first half of 2027, then application evaluation and contention resolution before contracting and launch. Follow the publication platform and ICANN announcements for confirmed dates.
Can I object to an application that affects my trademark?
Yes. The comment and objection period runs from 17 November 2026 to 16 March 2027. It covers public comments and formal objections, each with its own conditions and fees, so legal advice is recommended before filing.
Does a domain extension affect my search rankings?
A generic extension gives no automatic ranking advantage. What makes the difference is content quality, a clear site identity and a stable address. A country-code TLD such as .eg or .مصر sends a clear signal about the Egyptian market.
Need a review of your domain portfolio or want to register your Arabic name under .مصر? The Smart One Group team can help through our domain registration service and our digital marketing and visibility services. Contact us to review your situation and build a plan that fits your business.
