ICANN appoints Mirror Group as safeguard assessment provider for 2026 new gTLD programme

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced that it has entered into an agreement with Mirror Group LLC to act as the safeguard assessment provider for the 2026 New generic top‑level domain (gTLD) programme. The safeguard assessment, part of the string evaluation phase, will determine whether an applied‑for string requires specific safeguards as contractual requirements in the applicable Registry Agreement, relating to consumer protection, sensitive use of strings and regulated industries.

ICANN said the Mirror Group provider was selected through a competitive request for proposal that was initiated in December 2025, and that the selection was made in accordance with ICANN’s procurement best practices, which it said ‘ensure that services are sourced with the correct specifications, at the appropriate level of quality and value’. ICANN added that it is confident Mirror Group ‘has the capabilities and experience to determine whether an applied‑for string fits into one of the risk‑based groups that will require specific safeguard public‑interest commitments as contractual obligations in the 2026 Base Registry Agreement’.

Mirror Group is a Washington, D.C.–based management‑consulting and evaluation firm that works across the public, philanthropic, nonprofit and mission‑driven sectors. ICANN described the firm as bringing intellectual rigour, thoughtful analysis and practical insight to engagements where clarity, credibility and sound judgement matter. The firm will draw on its expertise in complex evaluation, quality assurance and advanced methodologies to support a fair, consistent and objective assessment process across a globally diverse applicant community.