ICANN87 is taking place in Bali, Indonesia, from October 17 to 22, 2026. The Annual General Meeting brings the global Internet community together to work on domain name policy, technical coordination, security, and the next expansion of the Domain Name System.
NiceNIC Owner May and CEO Helen are attending in person. Our photographs show the conference hall, participant services, and conversations taking place around the venue. This guide combines that on-site perspective with official records to explain what ICANN meetings do, how earlier meetings connect to Bali, and which developments matter to domain owners and businesses.
For businesses planning their domain offering around industry developments, explore NiceNIC's reseller program for current services and integration options.
Information is current as of October 19, 2026. ICANN87 is still underway; agenda items described below should not be read as final meeting outcomes.
ICANN87 Dates, Location and Official Information
- Meeting: ICANN87 Annual General Meeting.
- Dates: October 17-22, 2026.
- Venue: Bali International Convention Centre, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.
- Local host: PANDI, Indonesia's .ID domain registry.
- Participation: In person and online.
- Local time: WITA, UTC+8.
The official ICANN87 meeting website provides the meeting information, schedule access, and participation instructions.
Some earlier announcements listed Muscat, Oman. ICANN announced the move to Bali on June 2, 2026, retaining the October 17-22 dates. Bali is the location to use when checking current ICANN87 information.
What Is an ICANN Meeting?
ICANN stands for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. It coordinates the Internet’s system of unique identifiers, helping domain names and Internet addresses work consistently across networks.
An ICANN Public Meeting brings together the organizations and people involved in that work. Participants include registries, registrars, technical experts, governments, businesses, civil society, and Internet users.
The program combines policy discussions, technical sessions, community meetings, and opportunities to ask questions. Several sessions can run at the same time, so participants usually follow the subjects most relevant to their work.
For a domain owner, the connection is practical: discussions can influence how new extensions are introduced, how registration information is handled, and how responsibilities are coordinated across the domain industry.
A meeting itself does not automatically change the rules for a registered domain. The relevant policy, agreement, implementation plan, and effective date determine when a change applies.
Community Forum, Policy Forum and Annual General Meeting
ICANN normally holds three Public Meetings each year. Its meeting-format guide explains their different purposes:
- Community Forum: A six-day meeting, usually in February or March, combining community work with broader discussions.
- Policy Forum: A four-day meeting, usually in June, concentrated on policy development and regional outreach.
- Annual General Meeting: A six-day meeting, usually in October or November, combining community work with broader engagement, capacity building, and leadership transitions.
ICANN87 is the Annual General Meeting in the 2026 cycle.
How Past ICANN Meetings Connect to ICANN87
The issues discussed in Bali have developed through years of public consultation and technical work. Four earlier meetings help explain the context.
ICANN41 Singapore, 2011: A Major Step Toward More Domain Extensions
On June 20, 2011, the ICANN Board in Singapore authorized implementation of the New gTLD Program, setting the path toward the 2012 application round.
A generic top-level domain, or gTLD, is an extension such as .com or .org. The program created a route for applicants to seek additional extensions.
This milestone shows why ICANN meetings matter beyond the conference venue: policy and implementation decisions can shape the naming options that businesses encounter years later.
ICANN84 Dublin, 2025: The Next Round's Applicant Guidebook
ICANN84 took place in Dublin on October 25-30, 2025.
During that meeting, the Board adopted the Applicant Guidebook for the 2026 new gTLD round. ICANN's November 3 announcement explains that the guidebook sets the requirements and processes for applicants.
That was a concrete step from policy development toward running the application process. It gave organizations seeking to operate a top-level domain a framework for preparing their applications.
ICANN85 Mumbai, 2026: Preparing for Expansion
ICANN85, the Community Forum, took place in Mumbai on March 7-12, 2026.
ICANN's official meeting report described more than 200 sessions, with attention to DNS evolution, cybersecurity practices, and the approaching expansion of generic top-level domains.
Mumbai came before the 2026 application window opened. Bali takes place after the window closed and the application list became public. That change in timing explains why the discussion has moved from application preparation toward the next stages of evaluation and implementation.
ICANN86 Seville, 2026: Continuing Policy and Technical Work
ICANN86, the Policy Forum, took place in Seville on June 8-11, 2026.
Its published priorities included DNS abuse mitigation, registration data access, DNS security, Universal Acceptance, and Internationalized Domain Names.
The GNSO Council's meeting preview also described continuing work on associated domain checks and Latin-script diacritics.
These were ongoing workstreams. Their appearance in a meeting program should not be confused with a completed policy or an immediately effective requirement.
Together, Singapore, Dublin, Mumbai, and Seville illustrate how ICANN’s work accumulates: a program is developed, requirements are agreed, applications are prepared, and operational and policy questions continue through later meetings.
ICANN87 Agenda: Key Topics to Understand
The published agenda provides a useful way to follow the meeting. The topics below are selected for their relevance to domain owners, developers, registrars, and resellers.
New gTLDs: What Comes After Reveal Day?
On October 7, 2026, ICANN published the applications received in the 2026 round.
Its Reveal Day announcement reported 1,615 applications, including 333 brand applications and 21 applications for Internationalized Domain Names. These figures were a snapshot of primary-string application data as of October 7.
The announced timetable placed the eligible string replacement period on October 8-21, overlapping with ICANN87. String Confirmation Day was scheduled for November 17, 2026.
An application is not an approved extension or an available domain registration.
ICANN's applicant journey includes evaluation, community input and objections, resolution of competing applications where applicable, contracting, and technical onboarding before delegation.
For customers and resellers, the useful next step is to monitor confirmed information:
- Which strings remain in the process.
- Whether a future extension will be open to the public or restricted.
- What launch stages and eligibility conditions will apply.
- What registration and renewal prices the registry announces.
- When registrars can actually offer registrations.
The application count cannot be treated as a count of new extensions that customers will soon be able to buy. Businesses with a current naming need can compare available extensions and NiceNIC's registration and renewal prices while future launches develop.
DNS Abuse: Reporting, Evidence and Coordination
DNS abuse mitigation remains part of the policy discussion. The GAC's ICANN87 agenda includes a dedicated discussion scheduled for October 20.
For domain businesses, this subject involves practical questions: how reports reach the appropriate organization, what evidence supports a review, and how action is coordinated across parties.
A useful report identifies the affected domain or URL, explains the observed behavior, and provides supporting details. Clear evidence helps reviewers understand both the issue and its urgency.
From NiceNIC's perspective, useful industry cooperation should improve the quality of information and the handling of cases. Our Domain Abuse Transparency guide explains our published approach to reports, reviews, and possible actions.
Registration Data and Registrant Recourse
The Bali agenda also covers registration information and data protection. These issues affect how information about a domain is maintained and how requests for access are assessed.
A separate October 19 community plenary, The Gap in Registrant Recourse - Next Steps, focuses on available recourse mechanisms, current registry and registrar practices, and gaps that may need further attention.
For a domain owner, the practical question is straightforward: if there is a problem affecting a domain, what channel can review it, and what information is needed?
The session creates space to examine that question. It should not be described as having already introduced a new universal appeal procedure.
A Multilingual Internet: IDNs and Universal Acceptance
Internationalized Domain Names, or IDNs, support domain names using a wider range of scripts and characters. Universal Acceptance, or UA, addresses whether software can correctly handle valid domain names and email addresses.
For example, a business might select a valid domain but encounter a third-party form that rejects its extension or an email address using a non-Latin script. Naming choice and software compatibility both affect the user’s experience.
ICANN published guidelines for advancing UA adoption in September 2026. At ICANN87, the October 19 community plenary on a secure, inclusive and multilingual Internet brings UA and IDNs together with other implementation priorities.
For agencies and developers, this is a reason to test signup forms, customer databases, and email workflows against valid names beyond a narrow set of familiar extensions.
Technical Infrastructure and Public Accountability
The work behind domain names also depends on infrastructure and governance.
The ICANN Board Chair's October workshop and ICANN87 preview identifies work on systems supporting the gTLD life cycle, root server system governance, and organizational reviews.
The preview also schedules the Public Forum and Board Meeting for October 22.
These activities help explain the breadth of an ICANN meeting. The agenda covers both the names people use and the arrangements needed to support a stable, coordinated global system.
What NiceNIC's On-Site Photographs Show
Our conference-hall photograph captures the scale of the gathering, with participants facing the ICANN87 Bali stage and its large presentation screens.
The lobby photographs show another part of the meeting: people talking in small groups, moving between sessions, and visiting information and engagement areas. The signs for the meeting information desk and participant services show the practical organization behind the event.
For NiceNIC, participation provides opportunities to ask operational questions, hear different perspectives, and maintain direct contact with people working across the domain industry.
Owner May and CEO Helen’s presence in Bali connects that industry work with the services our customers use. The customer value comes through continued preparation, useful information, and follow-up on practical issues.
NiceNIC's ICANN-accredited registrar entity is NICENIC INTERNATIONAL GROUP CO., LIMITED, IANA Registrar ID 3765. Readers can check the company and accreditation information through the NiceNIC Trust Center.
How to Follow the ICANN87 Schedule and Meeting Records
Start with the official meeting website and choose sessions by subject. ICANN's schedule announcement explains how to access the program and prepare for participation.
For a focused reading plan:
- Domain owners and businesses: Follow new gTLD developments, registration data, and registrant recourse.
- Registrars and resellers: Follow operational implementation, registry coordination, and relevant policy work.
- Developers and technical teams: Follow DNS security, IDNs, Universal Acceptance, and infrastructure discussions.
Check the time zone shown in each schedule. Bali uses UTC+8, while some supporting pages display times in UTC.
After a session, use its official page to look for published materials, recordings, or transcripts as they become available. The ICANN meeting calendar and archives provide a starting point for earlier meetings.
When reading a recap, distinguish between a discussion, a recommendation, a Board decision, and an implemented requirement. For any operational change, look for the responsible body, the published decision, who it applies to, and its effective date.
Frequently Asked Questions About ICANN Meetings
Can Anyone Attend an ICANN Meeting?
ICANN Public Meetings are open to public participation and do not charge a general meeting registration fee. Registration requirements apply, and some individual sessions have restricted access. Travel and accommodation are separate expenses.
Can I Follow ICANN87 Online?
Yes. ICANN87 is a hybrid meeting. Use the official meeting website for virtual registration and the participation instructions for the sessions you want to follow.
Is ICANN87 a Domain Registration Launch?
ICANN87 is a public meeting. An extension discussed during the event or included in a new gTLD application is not automatically available for customer registration. Check the relevant program stage and the registry’s published launch arrangements.
Where Can I Find Previous ICANN Meeting Content?
Use the official meeting calendar and archives, then open the relevant meeting and session records. Board resolutions and community reports provide additional detail about formal decisions and ongoing work.
What Is the Next ICANN Meeting After Bali?
As listed in ICANN’s calendar on October 19, 2026, ICANN88 is scheduled for March 13-18, 2027, in Lisbon, Portugal, as a Community Forum. Check the official calendar for subsequent updates.
Turning Meeting Information into Practical Domain Decisions
The history from Singapore to Bali shows how domain developments move through multiple stages before they reach customers. Following those stages helps businesses distinguish a future possibility from an available service and a policy discussion from an effective requirement.
For an active project, start with the name, eligibility rules, ongoing costs, and management requirements that apply today. For future extensions, follow confirmed milestones and published launch terms.
If you are expanding a domain portfolio or building a reseller service, contact the NiceNIC team to discuss your current requirements and the developments relevant to your plans.
Primary Sources
- ICANN87 official meeting information
- ICANN meeting formats
- Calendar and archives of past and future ICANN meetings
- ICANN87 GAC agenda
- 2026 new gTLD Reveal Day announcement
- ICANN84 adoption of the 2026 Applicant Guidebook
Original ICANN87 photographs supplied by NiceNIC. Historical meeting information is drawn from the linked official records.
