Generic top-level domainsIDNDNSSEC
Overview
.futbol is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) created for the global fútbol/soccer community. Proposed during ICANN's New gTLD Program, it is intended to provide a dedicated namespace for individuals and organizations involved with the sport to express identity, share information, and offer goods and services.
History
- Applicant and early operator:
- Originally applied for by Donuts (Atomic Falls, LLC) as part of the New gTLD Program.
- Donuts' application described .FUTBOL as a generic string intended for broad, inclusive registration by the worldwide soccer community.
- Contract and delegation:
- A Registry Agreement (RA) was signed (Donuts received a signed RA on Sept 23, 2013).
- .futbol was delegated to the DNS Root Zone on 11 February 2014.
- Ownership transfer:
- Ownership/management rights were later assigned to Rightside (part of United TLD Holdco, Ltd./Demand Media). Rightside announced acquisition of .futbol (and .reviews) in January 2014.
Usage and Audience
- Target audience described in the application includes:
- Players at professional, collegiate, club and recreational levels
- Officials, coaches and instructors
- Clubs, leagues and governing organizations
- Suppliers, equipment manufacturers and arena operators
- Broadcasters, promoters and media outlets
- Fans and recreational participants worldwide
- Positioning: promoted as an open, inclusive TLD attractive to millions of soccer enthusiasts worldwide and suitable for a wide range of registrants connected to the sport.
Registration Rules
- Intended policy approach:
- The applicant (Donuts) proposed open and inclusive registration policies rather than restricting registrant eligibility by identity.
- No entity or group would have exclusive rights to second-level names in the TLD.
- The registry committed to a range of protections against abuse, including measures to address trademark concerns and reduce fraud.
- Technical/contractual status:
- The TLD completed Initial Evaluation, signed an RA with ICANN, and was delegated to the root zone. (No specific registration periods, character sets, or technical restrictions were provided in the source material.)
SEO and Brand Impact
- Claimed benefits by the applicant:
- The registry argued .FUTBOL would better facilitate search, self-expression and information sharing for soccer-related content.
- Positioned the string as introducing consumer choice and competitive alternatives at the top level.
- The applicant also claimed the registry would maintain strong protections and operate the TLD to reduce fraud and abuse, improving user safety compared with some incumbent TLDs.
Notable Cases or Examples
- Key events:
- Application submitted by Donuts (Atomic Falls, LLC) during ICANN's New gTLD Program.
- Registry Agreement signed (Sept 23, 2013).
- Rightside acquired rights to .futbol (announced January 2014).
- Delegation to the DNS Root Zone completed on 11 February 2014, with Rightside listed as the registry/manager.
Operator
Whois
% IANA WHOIS server % for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org % This query returned 1 object domain: FUTBOL organisation: Dog Beach, LLC address: c/o Identity Digital Limited address: 10500 NE 8th Street, Suite 750 address: Bellevue WA 98004 address: United States of America (the) contact: administrative name: Vice President, Engineering organisation: Identity Digital Limited address: 10500 NE 8th Street, Suite 750 address: Bellevue WA 98004 address: United States of America (the) phone: +1.425.298.2200 fax-no: +1.425.671.0020 e-mail: tldadmin@identity.digital contact: technical name: Senior Director, DNS Infrastructure Group organisation: Identity Digital Limited address: 10500 NE 8th Street, Suite 750 address: Bellevue WA 98004 address: United States of America (the) phone: +1.425.298.2200 fax-no: +1.425.671.0020 e-mail: tldtech@identity.digital nserver: V0N0.NIC.FUTBOL 2a01:8840:1e:0:0:0:0:60 65.22.28.60 nserver: V0N1.NIC.FUTBOL 2a01:8840:1f:0:0:0:0:60 65.22.29.60 nserver: V0N2.NIC.FUTBOL 2a01:8840:20:0:0:0:0:60 65.22.30.60 nserver: V0N3.NIC.FUTBOL 161.232.14.60 2a01:8840:f8:0:0:0:0:60 nserver: V2N0.NIC.FUTBOL 2a01:8840:21:0:0:0:0:60 65.22.31.60 nserver: V2N1.NIC.FUTBOL 161.232.15.60 2a01:8840:f9:0:0:0:0:60 ds-rdata: 56971 8 2 be9582ad283374f983057455cf2068505a0e6bd69ddd89ea2a3ea74f380e2ae1 whois: whois.nic.futbol status: ACTIVE remarks: Registration information: https://www.identity.digital/ created: 2014-02-06 changed: 2023-09-12 source: IANA