diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 38bb04672..b006fa998 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ Note: Upstart/SysV init based OS types are not supported.
   - [kubernetes](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes) v1.30.4
   - [etcd](https://github.com/etcd-io/etcd) v3.5.12
   - [docker](https://www.docker.com/) v26.1
-  - [containerd](https://containerd.io/) v1.7.20
+  - [containerd](https://containerd.io/) v1.7.21
   - [cri-o](http://cri-o.io/) v1.30.3 (experimental: see [CRI-O Note](docs/CRI/cri-o.md). Only on fedora, ubuntu and centos based OS)
 - Network Plugin
   - [cni-plugins](https://github.com/containernetworking/plugins) v1.2.0
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml
index b6e6a7a09..f96d8e7b9 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml
@@ -963,6 +963,7 @@ nerdctl_archive_checksums:
     1.6.1: 3924467d9430df991ebdf4e78211bac2b29e9a066d5000d98f8d4ebde2bb7b4c
 containerd_archive_checksums:
   arm:
+    1.7.21: 0
     1.7.20: 0
     1.7.19: 0
     1.7.18: 0
@@ -1006,6 +1007,7 @@ containerd_archive_checksums:
     1.6.15: 0
     1.6.14: 0
   arm64:
+    1.7.21: 7b6b67d998eb86856d23df5d57269c054539072bbb27677975cf78269b2c5c10
     1.7.20: cf80cd305f7d1c23aaf0c57bc1c1e37089cad9130d533db6fe968cdebd16c759
     1.7.19: 1839e6f7cd7c62d9df3ef3deac3f404cdd5cd47bbdf8acfeb0b0f3776eb20002
     1.7.18: e80ce87b469af03b3bdcf68b95f0f4a303787ae247581bcd42f04acf1ad4c24d
@@ -1049,6 +1051,7 @@ containerd_archive_checksums:
     1.6.15: d63e4d27c51e33cd10f8b5621c559f09ece8a65fec66d80551b36cac9e61a07d
     1.6.14: 3ccb61218e60cbba0e1bbe1e5e2bf809ac1ead8eafbbff36c3195d3edd0e4809
   amd64:
+    1.7.21: 3d1fcdfd0b141f4dc4916b7aee7f9a7773dc344baffc8954e1ca66b1adc5c120
     1.7.20: e09410787b6f392748959177a84e024424f75d7aff33ea1c5b783f2260edce67
     1.7.19: 97f75e60f0ad19d335b1d23385835df721cad4492740d50576997f2717dc3f94
     1.7.18: a24b05b341c155a0ec367d3d0fd1d437c09a0261dffdecc0e44e9abbf2d02aca
@@ -1092,6 +1095,7 @@ containerd_archive_checksums:
     1.6.15: 191bb4f6e4afc237efc5c85b5866b6fdfed731bde12cceaa6017a9c7f8aeda02
     1.6.14: 7da626d46c4edcae1eefe6d48dc6521db3e594a402715afcddc6ac9e67e1bfcd
   ppc64le:
+    1.7.21: 5ce0c1125e8d9ca04e2b524a2bac8b1eb97876c073023d5e083f7da64fcd8207
     1.7.20: dc611df0baa90509dda35e0be993da52f42b067514329fcf538d000b110364e8
     1.7.19: f41c2f28ee933a9ca24ff02cca159099fbcf798850e56cf0b7a6047ebe21fa86
     1.7.18: d6cfb3bc8fbdead7d435d5f3f6b1913b5896f7f97102c1bbad206f9123c2a5d3
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
index e627ecc4b..b1003d04f 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ runc_version: v1.1.13
 kata_containers_version: 3.1.3
 youki_version: 0.1.0
 gvisor_version: 20240305
-containerd_version: 1.7.20
+containerd_version: 1.7.21
 cri_dockerd_version: 0.3.11
 
 # this is relevant when container_manager == 'docker'