diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index ba5c5a9cc50..967d1e13aa0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        php-version: [7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5]
+        php-version: [8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5]
       fail-fast: false
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sca.yml b/.github/workflows/sca.yml
index f880de09db0..9823bd1c3bd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sca.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sca.yml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
         with:
           # Lowest supported PHP version
-          php-version: "7.1"
+          php-version: "8.1"
           extensions: mbstring, xml, curl, pcntl
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v6
diff --git a/build/docker/README.md b/build/docker/README.md
index 8bad2378a78..463ed76c4b8 100644
--- a/build/docker/README.md
+++ b/build/docker/README.md
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ Open a command prompt in the image:
 
 ## Core Tool Versions per Dockerfile ##
 
-Last updated: March 5, 2024
+Last updated: May 2, 2026
 
 | Tool      | ubuntu-focal  | ubuntu-jammy  | ubuntu-noble  | Notes |
 | :-------- | :------------ | :------------ | :------------ | :---- |
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ Last updated: March 5, 2024
 | nodejs    | 16.20.2       | 16.20.2       |               |       |
 | ocaml     | 4.08.1        | 4.13.1        |               |       |
 | perl      | 5.30.0        | 5.34.0        |               |       |
-| php       | 7.4.3         | 8.1.2         | 8.3           |       |
+| php       | 8.1 (ondrej)  | 8.1.2         | 8.3           | focal pulls 8.1 from ppa:ondrej/php |
 | python2   | 2.7.18        |               |               |       |
 | python3   | 3.8.10        | 3.10.12       |               |       |
 | ruby      | 2.7.0p0       | 3.0.2p107     |               |       |
diff --git a/build/docker/ubuntu-focal/Dockerfile b/build/docker/ubuntu-focal/Dockerfile
index eefd31e29de..3354d001fbc 100644
--- a/build/docker/ubuntu-focal/Dockerfile
+++ b/build/docker/ubuntu-focal/Dockerfile
@@ -235,15 +235,19 @@ RUN apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
       libnet-ssleay-perl \
       libtest-exception-perl
 
+# PHP via Ondřej Surý PPA (focal default is 7.4 which is below our 8.1 floor)
+RUN add-apt-repository -y ppa:ondrej/php && \
+      apt-get update -yq
+
 RUN apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
       `# Php dependencies` \
-      php7.4 \
-      php7.4-cli \
-      php7.4-dev \
-      php7.4-mbstring \
-      php7.4-xml \
-      php7.4-curl \
-      php7.4-xdebug \
+      php8.1 \
+      php8.1-cli \
+      php8.1-dev \
+      php8.1-mbstring \
+      php8.1-xml \
+      php8.1-curl \
+      php8.1-xdebug \
       php-pear \
       re2c
 
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 684c1b3875c..cef1cba9616 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@
         "issues": "https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/THRIFT"
     },
     "require": {
-        "php": "^7.1 || ^8.0"
+        "php": "^8.1"
     },
     "require-dev": {
-        "phpunit/phpunit": "^7.5 || ^8.5 || ^9.5",
-        "squizlabs/php_codesniffer": "3.*",
+        "phpunit/phpunit": "^9.5",
+        "squizlabs/php_codesniffer": "^3.10",
         "php-mock/php-mock-phpunit": "^2.10",
         "ext-json": "*",
         "ext-xml": "*",
diff --git a/lib/php/phpunit.xml b/lib/php/phpunit.xml
index 58e8f5dc2a9..233ff85d51e 100644
--- a/lib/php/phpunit.xml
+++ b/lib/php/phpunit.xml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
          stopOnWarning="true"
          stopOnFailure="true"
          processIsolation="true"
-         xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://schema.phpunit.de/9.3/phpunit.xsd">
+         xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://schema.phpunit.de/9.5/phpunit.xsd">
     <filter>
         <whitelist processUncoveredFilesFromWhitelist="true">
             <directory suffix=".php">./lib</directory>