[NOTICE] The Kubernetes v1.38 Shadow Application is OPEN 🦇

[Kat Cosgrove]

Howdy, y'all!

We are pleased to announce that the shadow application for the Kubernetes v1.38 Release Team is now open! I know this is a little earlier than usual, and that a release cycle is currently active. Please see our notification to dev[1] for more information. 

Please fill out the application form[2] to be considered as a shadow on the team.

While the release calendar has not been finalized, here is a tentative overview of the schedule:

• Release Team Shadow Application Opens: Monday, 10 August 2026
• Release Team Shadow Application Closes: Friday, 28 August 2026 (Midnight Anywhere on Earth)
• Release Team Shadow Notifications sent: Friday, 04 September 2026
• Release Cycle Start: Monday, 31 August 2026 (approximate)
• Release Cycle End: Wednesday, 16 December 2026 (approximate)

Dates are subject to change. Keep an eye on the sig-release slack channel[3] and kubernetes/sig-release[4] repository for updates.

Please refer to the following links for information on the Release Team and selection process:

• Release Team Overview: https://git.k8s.io/sig-release/release-team/README.md
• Release Team Shadows: https://git.k8s.io/sig-release/release-team/shadows.md
• Role Handbooks: https://git.k8s.io/sig-release/release-team/role-handbooks
• Selection Criteria: https://git.k8s.io/sig-release/release-team/release-team-selection.md

Please reach out via the #sig-release Slack channel[2] on Kubernetes Slack should you have any further questions.

xoxo,
Kat Cosgrove and Frederico Muñoz
Release Team Subproject Leads

[1] https://groups.google.com/a/kubernetes.io/g/dev/c/n6dG856Airk/m/NggzRDDkCgAJ

[2] https://forms.gle/Z7iwnhn1WqucBtHy6
[3] https://kubernetes.slack.com/archives/C2C40FMNF

[4] https://git.k8s.io/sig-release/