diff --git a/.github/workflows/continous-integration.yml b/.github/workflows/continous-integration.yml
index 1aa8aa958663..3f80d4ed736c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/continous-integration.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/continous-integration.yml
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: changelog
         run: |
           # List all unexpected files in changelog/
-          UNEXPECTED_FILES=$(ls -A --ignore={"README.md",".gitignore","_template.md.jinja2"})
+          UNEXPECTED_FILES=$(ls -A --ignore={"README.md",".gitignore","_template.jinja2"})
           # Exit with error if found any unexpected files
           [[ "$UNEXPECTED_FILES" ]] && \
           echo "Found the following unexpected files in changelogs/" && \
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index fdbad4c13d68..7f7d9b540b14 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ This project adheres to `Semantic Versioning`_ starting with version 1.0.
 
 .. towncrier release notes start
 
+[1.10.26] - 2021-06-17
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Features
+--------
+- `#8876 <https://github.com/rasahq/rasa/issues/8876>`_: Added ``sasl_mechanism`` as an optional configurable parameter for the :ref:`event-brokers-kafka`.
+
+
 [1.10.25] - 2021-04-14
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
diff --git a/changelog/8876.feature.rst b/changelog/8876.feature.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index c5f6c3200152..000000000000
--- a/changelog/8876.feature.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Added ``sasl_mechanism`` as an optional configurable parameter for the :ref:`event-brokers-kafka`. 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8340ba38be05..43e0c5ec394d 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ exclude = "((.eggs | .git | .pytype | .pytest_cache | build | dist))"
 
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "rasa"
-version = "1.10.25"
+version = "1.10.26"
 description = "Open source machine learning framework to automate text- and voice-based conversations: NLU, dialogue management, connect to Slack, Facebook, and more - Create chatbots and voice assistants"
 authors = [ "Rasa Technologies GmbH <hi@rasa.com>",]
 maintainers = [ "Tom Bocklisch <tom@rasa.com>",]
diff --git a/rasa/version.py b/rasa/version.py
index 10df083fc2dd..2a4992130a0a 100644
--- a/rasa/version.py
+++ b/rasa/version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 # this file will automatically be changed,
 # do not add anything but the version number here!
-__version__ = "1.10.25"
+__version__ = "1.10.26"