diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 888c77a790f..2be0dcbc88c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ Note: Upstart/SysV init based OS types are not supported.
   - [kubernetes](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes) v1.31.4
   - [etcd](https://github.com/etcd-io/etcd) v3.5.16
   - [docker](https://www.docker.com/) v26.1
-  - [containerd](https://containerd.io/) v1.7.24
+  - [containerd](https://containerd.io/) v2.0.1
   - [cri-o](http://cri-o.io/) v1.31.0 (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/docs/CRI/containerd.md b/docs/CRI/containerd.md
index 9fd03bf2558..92da076a916 100644
--- a/docs/CRI/containerd.md
+++ b/docs/CRI/containerd.md
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ You can tune many more [settings][runtime-spec] by supplying your own file name
 containerd_base_runtime_specs:
   cri-spec-custom.json: |
     {
-      "ociVersion": "1.0.2-dev",
+      "ociVersion": "1.1.0",
       "process": {
         "user": {
           "uid": 0,
diff --git a/roles/container-engine/containerd/templates/config.toml.j2 b/roles/container-engine/containerd/templates/config.toml.j2
index 72f0a00b090..778f07646d4 100644
--- a/roles/container-engine/containerd/templates/config.toml.j2
+++ b/roles/container-engine/containerd/templates/config.toml.j2
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
+{% if containerd_version is version('2.0.0', '>=') %}
+version = 3
+{% else %}
 version = 2
+{% endif %}
+
+
 root = "{{ containerd_storage_dir }}"
 state = "{{ containerd_state_dir }}"
 oom_score = {{ containerd_oom_score }}
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml
index 58bba87a849..65ef240aeac 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/checksums.yml
@@ -997,6 +997,7 @@ nerdctl_archive_checksums:
     1.7.0: e421ae655ff68461bad04b4a1a0ffe40c6f0fcfb0847d5730d66cd95a7fd10cd
 containerd_archive_checksums:
   arm:
+    1.7.24: 0
     1.7.23: 0
     1.7.22: 0
     1.7.21: 0
@@ -1045,6 +1046,8 @@ containerd_archive_checksums:
     1.6.15: 0
     1.6.14: 0
   arm64:
+    2.0.1: b07120ae227b52edfdb54131d44b13b987b39e8c1f740b0c969b7701e0fad4fa
+    2.0.0: 2a00b1553f38aa9e716d61316b661961c2fbfbb7aad7bd73b377be5725ecc0f1
     1.7.24: 420406d2b34ebb422ab3755fbeede59bf3bfcfccf5cfa584b558c93769d99064
     1.7.23: 6a66b5e63a5e88ff7eeb478ccaca9083d44e51e1d7261ae183fe5951a6226ccd
     1.7.22: 48d0a8461ae829b12b07c3663b14b70287d0607a0792719c51b4e4dd700b02ce
@@ -1094,6 +1097,8 @@ containerd_archive_checksums:
     1.6.15: d63e4d27c51e33cd10f8b5621c559f09ece8a65fec66d80551b36cac9e61a07d
     1.6.14: 3ccb61218e60cbba0e1bbe1e5e2bf809ac1ead8eafbbff36c3195d3edd0e4809
   amd64:
+    2.0.1: 85061a5ce1b306292d5a64f85d5cd3aff93d0982737a1069d370dd6cb7bbfd09
+    2.0.0: 6f8da716941f7e89315cefaa6e5a8f1ff10b323ff46611313c455df7ab1ebee1
     1.7.24: 1a94f15139f37633f39e24f08a4071f4533b285df3cbee6478972d26147bcaef
     1.7.23: 8a0de43d9313aef2ebdccc0ffa49461a4a28139a2c0ef104c3c847f6f37c8119
     1.7.22: f8b2d935d1f86003f4e0c1af3b9f0d2820bacabe6dc9f562785b74af24c5e468
@@ -1143,6 +1148,8 @@ containerd_archive_checksums:
     1.6.15: 191bb4f6e4afc237efc5c85b5866b6fdfed731bde12cceaa6017a9c7f8aeda02
     1.6.14: 7da626d46c4edcae1eefe6d48dc6521db3e594a402715afcddc6ac9e67e1bfcd
   ppc64le:
+    2.0.1: 09a25357343c7336fe519e5fd1a9dd0f22da869e9deda50c2bc61b6e8c9384be
+    2.0.0: 2e7f4b15ac85c22c1ced102bbb424124078248f0af3183425ff335a998079809
     1.7.24: 2ca4d527dac68132a2a6b3971d82ddfd18edc7fa838b7cfcfe6eb11efd017871
     1.7.23: 00dd8a1145d7392ffe1e2b74da147b896e4387afb5e73ed6e5cd3744add32826
     1.7.22: 6747b7291ffbfde2c0bf0031978985df92ac74414f09bf190afda0fc9e797146
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
index 4e745b6de70..6be3f5cc3a8 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ runc_version: v1.2.3
 kata_containers_version: 3.1.3
 youki_version: 0.4.1
 gvisor_version: 20240305
-containerd_version: 1.7.24
+containerd_version: 2.0.1
 cri_dockerd_version: 0.3.11
 
 # this is relevant when container_manager == 'docker'