ICANN84 in Dublin: A Pivotal Moment for the Future of the Internet

DUBLIN, Oct. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will hold its 84th Public Meeting, the Annual General Meeting (AGM), from 25–30 October 2025 at the Convention Centre Dublin in Dublin, Ireland. The event, hosted by the Internet Neutral Exchange Association (INEX), will gather participants from around the world, representing governments, civil society, business, and the technical community.

ICANN84 comes at a pivotal moment for the global Internet. The meeting takes place just weeks before the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) review, a United Nations (U.N.) process assessing 20 years of progress in global digital cooperation, and as ICANN advances preparations for the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: Next Round, the next opportunity for organizations to apply for new domain name endings beyond familiar ones like .com or .org, scheduled to launch in April 2026. The AGM also marks the induction of new members, a moment when leaders take their seats, the community reflects on successes and opportunities, and plans are set for the year ahead.

One of the most anticipated outcomes of ICANN84 is the ICANN Board's expected approval of the final Applicant Guidebook for the New gTLD Program: Next Round. This decision will set the course for the April 2026 application window. Another focal point of the meeting will be the broader discussion on the future of Internet governance, linking ICANN84 directly to the debates and decisions leading into WSIS+20.

That discussion will take on added weight with the participation of the WSIS+20 co-facilitators, the U.N. representatives appointed to guide the review and broker consensus outcomes. Their presence in Dublin underscores ICANN84's role as a neutral, multistakeholder venue, one where the technical community serves as a pillar in shaping the Internet's future. This engagement reaffirms ICANN's position that technical coordination must remain collaborative, globally representative, and rooted in the multistakeholder model, a framework that has helped preserve a secure, stable, and interoperable Internet for over two decades.

"ICANN84 comes at a decisive moment for the Internet's future," said Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO. "At the forefront is the future of Internet governance, from the WSIS+20 review to the next round of new top-level domains. This meeting is about shaping the Internet's future: keeping it secure, interoperable, and open to all. It shows why the multistakeholder model matters – governments, businesses, and the technical community working side by side to keep the Internet single and global."

"As the WSIS+20 process draws to a close, the conversations taking place at ICANN84 will help shape how the Internet serves people and communities everywhere for many years to come," said Eileen Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer of INEX. "At INEX, we believe deeply in the power of collaboration and in using the Internet and our community as a force for good. Ireland offers a natural home for open, forward-looking discussions and is a place that recognizes the potential of what can be achieved when we work together. We're delighted to welcome the global Internet community back to Dublin and proud to host ICANN84 at such an important moment for the future of Internet governance."

Registration for in-person attendance is open until 23 October 2025. Remote participation is also available.

For more information and to register, visit the ICANN84 meeting webpage.

About ICANN
ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.

About INEX
INEX is the internet peering point for the island of Ireland. They are a neutral, not-for-profit, industry-owned association, founded in 1996, that provides IP peering facilities for its members. Membership is open to all organisations that can benefit from peering their IP traffic and there are currently 113 members peering at the exchange.

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