diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml b/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
index 054f1e98a2a1b..b5bef1b88c0bc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ on:
 permissions: {}
 
 env:
-  CURRENTLY_SUPPORTED_BRANCH: '7.0'
+  CURRENTLY_SUPPORTED_BRANCH: '7.1'
 
 jobs:
   dispatch-workflows-for-old-branches:
@@ -45,13 +45,15 @@ jobs:
             'test-build-processes.yml'
         ]
         branch: [
-            '7.0',
+            '7.1', '7.0',
             '6.9', '6.8', '6.7', '6.6', '6.5', '6.4', '6.3', '6.2', '6.1','6.0',
             '5.9', '5.8', '5.7', '5.6', '5.5', '5.4', '5.3', '5.2', '5.1', '5.0',
             '4.9', '4.8', '4.7'
         ]
         include:
           # PHP Compatibility testing was introduced in 5.5.
+          - branch: '7.1'
+            workflow: 'php-compatibility.yml'
           - branch: '7.0'
             workflow: 'php-compatibility.yml'
           - branch: '6.9'
@@ -88,6 +90,8 @@ jobs:
           # End-to-end testing was introduced in 5.3 but was later removed as there were no meaningful assertions.
           # Starting in 5.8 with #52905, some additional tests with real assertions were introduced.
           # Branches 5.8 and newer should be tested to confirm no regressions are introduced.
+          - branch: '7.1'
+            workflow: 'end-to-end-tests.yml'
           - branch: '7.0'
             workflow: 'end-to-end-tests.yml'
           - branch: '6.9'
@@ -118,9 +122,9 @@ jobs:
           # Performance testing was introduced in 6.2 using Puppeteer but was overhauled to use Playwright instead in 6.4.
           # Since the workflow frequently failed for 6.2 and 6.3 due to the flaky nature of the Puppeteer tests,
           # the workflow was removed from those two branches.
-          - branch: '7.0'
+          - branch: '7.1'
             workflow: 'performance.yml'
-          - branch: '6.9'
+          - branch: '7.0'
             workflow: 'performance.yml'
 
     # Run all branches monthly, but only the currently supported one twice per month.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml b/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
index 831b470beb418..82f3dc6feb6d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ jobs:
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.4' ]
         # WordPress 5.3 is the oldest version that supports PHP 7.4.
-        wp: [ '5.3', '6.9', '7.0' ]
+        wp: [ '5.3', '6.9', '7.0', '7.1-RC2' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ jobs:
         php: [ '7.4', '8.4' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '8.4' ]
-        wp: [ '6.9', '7.0' ]
+        wp: [ '6.9', '7.0', '7.1-RC2' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/upgrade-testing.yml b/.github/workflows/upgrade-testing.yml
index 930a82b3139b1..9a9c239e3093d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upgrade-testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upgrade-testing.yml
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
         php: [ '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.0', '8.4', '9.7' ]
-        wp: [ '6.9', '7.0' ]
+        wp: [ '6.9', '7.0', '7.1-RC2' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
diff --git a/.version-support-mysql.json b/.version-support-mysql.json
index 7ab8aa38df392..c7bda38ff5fe9 100644
--- a/.version-support-mysql.json
+++ b/.version-support-mysql.json
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
 {
+	"7-2": [
+		"9.7",
+		"8.4",
+		"8.0",
+		"5.7",
+		"5.6",
+		"5.5"
+	],
 	"7-1": [
 		"9.7",
 		"8.4",
diff --git a/.version-support-php.json b/.version-support-php.json
index de510694c65c9..fc0128345fdb5 100644
--- a/.version-support-php.json
+++ b/.version-support-php.json
@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
 {
+	"7-2": [
+		"7.4",
+		"8.0",
+		"8.1",
+		"8.2",
+		"8.3",
+		"8.4",
+		"8.5"
+	],
 	"7-1": [
 		"7.4",
 		"8.0",
diff --git a/SECURITY.md b/SECURITY.md
index 20b9b8e4b3890..13e8007009af8 100644
--- a/SECURITY.md
+++ b/SECURITY.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Full details of the WordPress Security Policy and the list of covered projects a
 
 | Version | Supported |
 |---------| --------- |
+| 7.1.x   | Yes       |
 | 7.0.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.9.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.8.x   | Yes       |
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 87a4463017a0c..34a8d980259f1 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "wordpress/wordpress",
-	"version": "7.1.0",
+	"version": "7.2.0",
 	"license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
 	"description": "WordPress is open source software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app.",
 	"homepage": "https://wordpress.org",
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 78985e8f955c0..fe92d5381d923 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
 	"name": "WordPress",
-	"version": "7.1.0",
+	"version": "7.2.0",
 	"lockfileVersion": 3,
 	"requires": true,
 	"packages": {
 		"": {
 			"name": "WordPress",
-			"version": "7.1.0",
+			"version": "7.2.0",
 			"license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
 			"dependencies": {
 				"backbone": "1.6.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7b8cdfe8eb8c0..e87e95546a204 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "WordPress",
-	"version": "7.1.0",
+	"version": "7.2.0",
 	"description": "WordPress is open source software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app.",
 	"repository": {
 		"type": "svn",
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/version.php b/src/wp-includes/version.php
index 044d90e4d2487..0b5627887c4d3 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '7.1-RC2-63095-src';
+$wp_version = '7.2-alpha-63166-src';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.