diff --git a/BUILD.md b/BUILD.md
index d952e89..16944db 100644
--- a/BUILD.md
+++ b/BUILD.md
@@ -65,14 +65,14 @@ Override these arguments to make use of build.geoserver.org nightly releases:
 * ``--build-arg STABLE_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/${GS_VERSION}/ext-latest/``
 * ``--build-arg COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/${GS_VERSION}/community-latest/``
 
-Here is a working example for building 2.25.x nightly build::
+Here is a working example for building 2.26.x nightly build::
 ```
 docker build --no-cache-filter download,install \
-  --build-arg WAR_ZIP_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.25.x/geoserver-2.25.x-latest-war.zip \
-  --build-arg STABLE_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.25.x/ext-latest/ \
-  --build-arg COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.25.x/community-latest/ \
+  --build-arg WAR_ZIP_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.26.x/geoserver-2.26.x-latest-war.zip \
+  --build-arg STABLE_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.26.x/ext-latest/ \
+  --build-arg COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.26.x/community-latest/ \
   --build-arg GS_VERSION=2.24-SNAPSHOT \
-  -t 2.25.x .
+  -t 2.26.x .
 ```
 
 When running both stable extensions and community modules can be included:
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --env INSTALL_EXTENSIONS=true \
   --env STABLE_EXTENSIONS="ysld" \
   --env COMMUNITY_EXTENSIONS="ogcapi" \
-  -t 2.25.x
+  -t 2.26.x
 ```
 
 Community modules are only available for nightly builds as they have not yet met the requirements for production use. Developers have shared these to attract participation, feedback and funding.
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ The build.geoserver.org output for the ``main`` branch requires the following:
 * ``--build-arg COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/main/community-latest/``
 
 
-Here is a working example for building main branch as 2.25.x build:
+Here is a working example for building main branch as 2.26.x build:
 
 ```
 docker build --no-cache-filter download,install \
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ docker build --no-cache-filter download,install \
   --build-arg STABLE_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/main/ext-latest/ \
   --build-arg COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_URL=https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/main/community-latest/ \
   --build-arg GS_VERSION=2.24-SNAPSHOT \
-  -t 2.25.x .
+  -t 2.26.x .
 ```
 
 When running both [stable extensions](https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/main/ext-latest/) and [community modules](https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/main/community-latest/) can be included:
@@ -114,6 +114,6 @@ docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --env INSTALL_EXTENSIONS=true \
   --env STABLE_EXTENSIONS="wps,css" \
   --env COMMUNITY_EXTENSIONS="ogcapi-coverages,ogcapi-dggs,ogcapi-features,ogcapi-images,ogcapi-maps,ogcapi-styles,ogcapi-tiled-features,ogcapi-tiles" \
-  -t 2.25.x
+  -t 2.26.x
 ```
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f0ba5a5..a2f838b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,20 +21,20 @@ This README.md file covers use of official docker image, additional [build](BUIL
 To pull an official image use ``docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:{{VERSION}}``, e.g.:
 
 ```shell
-docker pull docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+docker pull docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 All the images can be found at: [https://repo.osgeo.org](https://repo.osgeo.org/#browse/browse:geoserver-docker:v2/geoserver/tags) and the latest stable and maintenance version numbers can be obtained from [https://geoserver.org/download/](https://geoserver.org/download/)
 
 Afterwards you can run the pulled image locally with:
 
 ```shell
-docker run -it -p 80:8080 docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+docker run -it -p 80:8080 docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 Or if you want to start the container daemonized, use e.g.:
 
 ```shell
-docker run -d -p 80:8080 docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+docker run -d -p 80:8080 docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 Check <http://localhost/geoserver> to see the geoserver page,
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ To use an external folder as your geoserver data directory.
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --mount src="/absolute/path/on/host",target=/opt/geoserver_data/,type=bind \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 An empty data directory will be populated on first use. You can easily update GeoServer while
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ The environment variable `SKIP_DEMO_DATA` can be set to `true` to create an empt
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --env SKIP_DEMO_DATA=true \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 ## How to set the application context path?
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@ The following will serve GeoServer from the root (<http://localhost/>):
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --env WEBAPP_CONTEXT="" \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.1
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 The following will serve GeoServer from <http://localhost/my_context_path>:
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --env WEBAPP_CONTEXT="my_context_path" \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.1
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 ## How to issue a redirect from the root ("/") to GeoServer web interface ("/geoserver/web")?
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ Example installing wps and ysld extensions:
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --env INSTALL_EXTENSIONS=true --env STABLE_EXTENSIONS="wps,ysld" \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 The list of extensions (taken from SourceForge download page):
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ If you want to add geoserver extensions/libs, place the respective jar files in
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --mount src="/dir/with/libs/on/host",target=/opt/additional_libs,type=bind \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 ## How to add additional fonts to the docker image (e.g. for SLD styling)?
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ If you want to add custom fonts (the base image only contains 26 fonts) by using
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --mount src="/dir/with/fonts/on/host",target=/opt/additional_fonts,type=bind \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 **Note:** Do not change the target value!
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ Example:
 ```shell
 docker run -it -p 80:8080 \
   --mount src="/path/to/my/server.xml",target=/opt/config_overrides/server.xml,type=bind \
-  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+  docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 ## How to enable HTTPS?
@@ -238,9 +238,9 @@ Following is the list of the all the environment variables that can be passed do
 | INSTALL_EXTENSIONS | Indicates whether additional GeoServer extensions should be installed | `false` |
 | WAR_ZIP_URL | Specifies the URL for a GeoServer Web Archive (WAR) file | |
 | STABLE_EXTENSIONS | Specifies stable GeoServer extensions | |
-| STABLE_PLUGIN_URL | Specifies the URL for downloading the latest stable GeoServer plugins | `https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.25.x/ext-latest` |
+| STABLE_PLUGIN_URL | Specifies the URL for downloading the latest stable GeoServer plugins | `https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.26.x/ext-latest` |
 | COMMUNITY_EXTENSIONS | Specifies community-contributed GeoServer extensions | |
-| COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_URL | Specifies the URL for downloading the latest community-contributed GeoServer plugins | `https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.25.x/community-latest` |
+| COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_URL | Specifies the URL for downloading the latest community-contributed GeoServer plugins | `https://build.geoserver.org/geoserver/2.26.x/community-latest` |
 | ADDITIONAL_LIBS_DIR | Sets the directory for additional libraries used by GeoServer | `/opt/additional_libs/` |
 | ADDITIONAL_FONTS_DIR | Sets the directory for additional fonts used by GeoServer | `/opt/additional_fonts/` |
 | SKIP_DEMO_DATA | Indicates whether to skip the installation of demo data provided by GeoServer | `false` |
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index c16cace..836167d 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ OSGeo maintains geoserver-docker.osgeo.org repository for publishing. The result
 Build locally:
 
 ```shell
-docker build -t geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3 .
+docker build -t geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0 .
 ```
 
 Login using with osgeo user id:
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ docker login geoserver-docker.osgeo.org
 Push to osgeo repository:
 
 ```shell
-docker push geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.25.3
+docker push geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:2.26.0
 ```
 
 ## How to automate release?
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ The third, optional, is used to supply the jenkins build number - triggering a n
 
 Examples:
 
-`./release.sh build 2.25.3`
+`./release.sh build 2.26.0`
 
-`./release.sh publish 2.25.3`
+`./release.sh publish 2.26.0`
 
-`./release.sh buildandpublish 2.25.3`
+`./release.sh buildandpublish 2.26.0`
 
-`./release.sh buildandpublish 2.25-SNAPSHOT 1234`
+`./release.sh buildandpublish 2.26-SNAPSHOT 1234`
diff --git a/docker-compose-demo.yml b/docker-compose-demo.yml
index d159c29..af4a08f 100644
--- a/docker-compose-demo.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-demo.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ services:
     build:
       context: .
       args:
-        - GEOSERVER_VERSION=2.25.3
+        - GEOSERVER_VERSION=2.26.0
         - CORS_ENABLED=true
         - CORS_ALLOWED_METHODS=GET,POST,PUT,HEAD,OPTIONS
     ports: