diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7e784579..f717b7ec 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 This file is intended to be modified using the [`changelog`](github.com/cucumber/changelog) command-line tool.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+
+## [3.0.0.rc.1] - 2023-09-15
 ### Removed
 - Removed runtime dependencies: `mime-types`, `rexml`, and `webrick` [#559](https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/pull/559)
-
 - Removed support for Ruby 2.5 [#558](https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/pull/558)
-
 - Removed support for Rails 5.0 and 5.1 (5.2 is still supported and 6.0+ is now expected) [#565](https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/pull/565)
 
 ## [2.6.1] - 2022-10-12
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ This file is intended to be modified using the [`changelog`](github.com/cucumber
 ### Changed
 - New release process. Older releases are in [this changelog](./CHANGELOG.old.md).
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/compare/v2.6.0...main
-[2.6.1]: https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/compare/v2.6.0...main
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/compare/v3.0.0.rc.1...main
+[3.0.0.rc.1]: https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/compare/v2.6.1...v3.0.0.rc.1
+[2.6.1]: https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-rails/compare/v2.6.0...v2.6.1
 [v2.6.0]: ./CHANGELOG.old.md
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 6a6a3d8e..26887c09 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.6.1
+3.0.0.rc.1