The WordPress project is already moving forward. On Thursday, Jeffrey Paul – a contributor to the Fueled-sponsored initiative – published a call for volunteers on Make WordPress Core, outlining the proposed schedule for WordPress 7.1’s final release on August 19th. That date coincides with the conclusion of WordCamp US 2026 in Phoenix.
This timeline aligns with the 2026 release roadmap proposed in December by Jonathan Desrosiers, a core developer who connected all three major releases this year to flagship WordPress events. WordPress 7.0 was originally scheduled for WordCamp Asia in April but arrived six weeks later after months of real-time collaboration technical difficulties.
Beta 1 for version 7.1 is targeted for July 15th, with the first release candidate arriving August 5th. Paul emphasized that timelines remain flexible – the team can adjust deadlines as circumstances require.
Trunk technically entered 7.1 alpha back on March 27th but was immediately frozen to avoid disrupting 7.0’s extended cycle. Development resumed Wednesday when 7.0 shipped.
WordPress 7.1 will continue the smaller, more focused developer group model introduced in version 6.7. Make team representatives will coordinate contributions within their squads rather than holding separate positions. Paul is recruiting volunteers for five roles: release lead, release coordinator, technical leads, triage lead, and testing lead.
Attending WordCamp US isn’t mandatory – release announcements typically happen in WordPress Slack’s #core channel – but Paul indicated the ultimate goal is launching the final version at the conference. Interested contributors can apply until June 5th, after which WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard or her representative will confirm team formation.
