diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 2e67f5db09..a649442d99 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,39 @@
+2026.08-rc1, released August 18th, 2026
+
+	Fixes all over the tree and new features.
+
+        Architectures:
+        - Support for M68K nommu
+        - Support for IBM Power 10/11 variants
+
+        Toolchain:
+	- Support for Linux 7.1.x headers
+        - Binutils 2.46.1, GCC 16.2.0, now defaults to GCC 15
+        - Glibc 2.44, uClibc-ng 1.0.59
+        - Support for ARC-specific GCC version and external toolchain
+          dropped
+
+        Infrastructure:
+        - Support for building packages written in the hare
+          programming language
+        - Libudev virtual package, similar to jpeg or openssl.
+	- generate-cyclonedx: fixup scp-style git sites
+
+        New defconfigs: QEMU PPC64LE Powernv10 / Powernv11
+
+	Removed defconfigs: Acmesystems aria/arietta g25, Avnet S6LX9
+	Microboard, Technologic TS-4900 / TS-5500
+
+	New packages: agec, cpp-argparse, drogon, dtui, hare, harec,
+	hare-dbus, hare-ev, hare-xml, libcppconnman, liblc3, libudev,
+	libudev-zero, perl-cgi, perl-cgi-session, perl-log-message,
+	perl-log-message-simple, perl-switch, python-libyang,
+	python-sysv-ipc, qbe, qemu-xen, qt6grpc, qt6positioning,
+	scdoc, sdl3, sdl3_gfx, sdl3_image, sdl3_ttf, sigsum-c,
+	virglrenderer, wget2
+
+	Removed packages: argparse, ts4900-fpga
+
 2026.05.1, released July 15, 2026
 
 	Important / security related fixes:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5a382644d9..6d0c86794f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ all:
 .PHONY: all
 
 # Set and export the version string
-export BR2_VERSION := 2026.08-git
+export BR2_VERSION := 2026.08-rc1
 # Actual time the release is cut (for reproducible builds)
-BR2_VERSION_EPOCH = 1780950000
+BR2_VERSION_EPOCH = 1787088000
 
 # Save running make version since it's clobbered by the make package
 RUNNING_MAKE_VERSION := $(MAKE_VERSION)
diff --git a/docs/website/download.html b/docs/website/download.html
index 35d8c28dae..a9a4086f14 100644
--- a/docs/website/download.html
+++ b/docs/website/download.html
@@ -16,34 +16,32 @@
           <th>Latest release date</th>
           <th colspan="2">Downloads</td>
         </tr>
-<!--
         <tr>
           <th>Candidate</th>
-          <th>2026.05.x</th>
-          <td>September 2026</td>
+          <th>2026.08.x</th>
+          <td>December 2026</td>
           <td>
-            2026.05.1<br/>
-            <a href="https://gitlab.com/buildroot.org/buildroot/-/blob/2026.05.1/CHANGES">
+            2026.08-rc1<br/>
+            <a href="https://gitlab.com/buildroot.org/buildroot/-/blob/2026.08-rc1/CHANGES">
               Changelog
             </a>
           </td>
-          <td>2026-07-15</td>
+          <td>2026-08-18</td>
           <td>
-            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.05.1.tar.gz">
+            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.08-rc1.tar.gz">
               <img src="images/zip.png" width="24" alt="">
               .tar.gz
             </a><br/>
-            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.05.1.tar.gz.sign">[PGP sig]</a>
+            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.08-rc1.tar.gz.sign">[PGP sig]</a>
           </td>
           <td>
-            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.05.1.tar.xz">
+            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.08-rc1.tar.xz">
               <img src="images/package.png" width="24" alt="">
               .tar.xz
             </a><br/>
-            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.05.1.tar.xz.sign">[PGP sig]</a>
+            <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.08-rc1.tar.xz.sign">[PGP sig]</a>
           </td>
         </tr>
--->
         <tr>
           <th>Stable</th>
           <th>2026.05.1.x</th>
diff --git a/docs/website/news.html b/docs/website/news.html
index 03ff2b6893..1fd87815eb 100644
--- a/docs/website/news.html
+++ b/docs/website/news.html
@@ -9,6 +9,27 @@
 <h2>News</h2>
 <ul class="timeline">
 
+  <li>
+    <div class="timeline-badge"><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-thumbs-up"></i></div>
+    <div class="timeline-panel">
+      <div class="timeline-heading">
+	<h4 class="timeline-title">2026.08-rc1 released</h4>
+	<p><small class="text-muted"><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-time"></i>18 August 2026</small></p>
+      </div>
+      <div class="timeline-body">
+	<p>We have a new release candidate! Lots of changes all over the tree, see the
+          <a href="https://gitlab.com/buildroot.org/buildroot/-/blob/2026.08-rc1/CHANGES">CHANGES</a>
+          file for more details.</p>
+
+	<p>Go to the <a href="/downloads/">downloads page</a> to pick up the
+          <a href="/downloads/buildroot-2026.08-rc1.tar.xz">2026.08-rc1
+            release</a>, and report any problems found to the
+          <a href="support.html">mailing list</a> or
+          <a href="https://gitlab.com/buildroot.org/buildroot/-/issues">bug tracker</a>.</p>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </li>
+
   <li class="timeline-inverted">
     <div class="timeline-badge"><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-thumbs-up"></i></div>
     <div class="timeline-panel">