---
id: "auction-of-last-resort"
kind: "glossary-term"
title: "auction of last resort"
language: "en"
category: "TLD types and programs"
updated: "2026-10-04T14:01:23Z"
canonical: "https://tldlog.com/glossary/auction-of-last-resort/"
translations:
  es: "https://tldlog.com/es/glosario/subasta-ultimo-recurso/"
  de: "https://tldlog.com/de/glossar/auktion-als-letztes-mittel/"
  fr: "https://tldlog.com/fr/glossaire/enchere-dernier-recours/"
  it: "https://tldlog.com/it/glossario/asta-ultima-istanza/"
  pt-BR: "https://tldlog.com/pt/glossario/leilao-ultimo-recurso/"
  ru: "https://tldlog.com/ru/glossariy/auktsion-posledney-instantsii/"
  zh-Hans: "https://tldlog.com/zh/cihui/zuihou-shouduan-paimai/"
---

# auction of last resort

An auction run by ICANN to decide which applicant gets a gTLD string when several want it and other methods fail. In the 2026 Round, ICANN auctions are the only allowed way to settle remaining contention, because private deals are banned.

## related terms

- [string contention](https://tldlog.com/glossary/string-contention/)
- [private auction](https://tldlog.com/glossary/private-auction/)
- [2026 Round](https://tldlog.com/glossary/new-gtld-program-2026-round/)