ICANN

A new application has been submitted to ICANN for the .lan generic top-level domain, under the organization's new gTLD program. The application is now in ICANN's public evaluation process, where its technical, financial, and operational readiness are assessed before any delegation. Observers note interest because .lan has long been used informally for local networks, raising questions about how the domain would be managed if approved.

ICANN has announced the applications for its 2026 round of new generic top-level domains, the program that lets organizations apply to run their own domain endings like .brand or .city. The announcement outlines which applicants are seeking new extensions in the next expansion of the internet's domain name system. Domain industry watchers are discussing what the new round means for competition, branding, and internet naming.