ICANN's 87th Meeting in Bali to Address gTLD Expansion and DNS Governance
Event summary
- ICANN's 87th Public Meeting will be held in Bali, Indonesia, from 17–22 October 2026, hosted by PANDI, the Indonesian domain registry.
- The meeting follows the close of the New gTLD Program 2026 Round, which received over 1,600 applications.
- Key topics include DNS abuse, multilingual internet expansion, and ICANN's review process improvements.
- The Dr. Tarek Kamel Award for Capacity Building will be presented during the event.
The big picture
ICANN's meeting in Bali underscores the growing importance of multistakeholder collaboration in internet governance. The event comes at a critical juncture following the gTLD application surge, highlighting the need for balanced policy frameworks that support both innovation and security. Indonesia's hosting role reflects its rising influence in the global digital landscape.
What we're watching
- gTLD Expansion
- How ICANN will manage the 1,600+ applications from the 2026 Round and the potential impact on domain market dynamics.
- Governance Dynamics
- Whether the Review of Reviews Cross Community Group's recommendations will strengthen ICANN's accountability and transparency.
- Regional Influence
- The pace at which Indonesia's digital ecosystem grows and its role in shaping Asia Pacific internet governance.