Building on its legacy of leadership in domain name dispute resolution, the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is pleased to serve as the sole dispute resolution provider for Legal Rights Objections and String Confusion Objections in the next round of ICANN’s New gTLD Program.
Trusted Dispute Resolution in the Evolving Domain Name Space
As part of the continued evolution of the Internet’s domain name system, ICANN is preparing for the next round of New generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs), with an Objections filing period anticipated in the second half of 2026.
Following a competitive selection process, ICANN has entrusted the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center as the exclusive provider for two key pre-delegation objection procedures:
- Legal Rights Objections (LROs), and
- String Confusion Objections (SCOs)
WIPO’s Proven Track Record
WIPO has provided domain name dispute resolution services since 1999 and:
- Administered over 75,000 domain name disputes under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP).
- Collaborated with over 85 country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) to adapt and implement domain name dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Acted as the exclusive provider for LROs during ICANN’s 2012 New gTLD round, managing 69 trademark-based Legal Rights Objection cases.
With the addition of String Confusion Objections to its mandate, WIPO is uniquely positioned to help ensure that ICANN’s application process continues to respect trademark rights and safeguard against end-user confusion.
How WIPO Supports Fair and Efficient Resolution
The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center combines deep legal expertise, neutrality, and online procedural efficiency. Disputes will be resolved by panels of recognized legal experts in accordance with the procedural rules defined by ICANN.
The goal is to offer all parties a predictable, balanced, and expert-administered dispute resolution process that enhances trust in the expansion of the domain name system.
Next Steps for Applicants and Rightsholders
More information about objection procedures, including timelines and resources, will be made available as ICANN finalizes the details of the upcoming application round. WIPO will also publish detailed guidelines and case resources.
Stakeholders can monitor updates here and on ICANN’s New gTLD Program site.