diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index bfdedc88a0b..84f80c9bb4f 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
    :target: https://pypi.org/project/python-telegram-bot/
    :alt: Supported Python versions
 
-.. image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/Bot%20API-9.5-blue?logo=telegram
+.. image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/Bot%20API-9.6-blue?logo=telegram
    :target: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api-changelog
    :alt: Supported Bot API version
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ After installing_ the library, be sure to check out the section on `working with
 Telegram API support
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-All types and methods of the Telegram Bot API **9.5** are natively supported by this library.
+All types and methods of the Telegram Bot API **9.6** are natively supported by this library.
 In addition, Bot API functionality not yet natively included can still be used as described `in our wiki <https://github.com/python-telegram-bot/python-telegram-bot/wiki/Bot-API-Forward-Compatibility>`_.
 
 Notable Features
diff --git a/changes/unreleased/5196.7keq7yJhXbMb9RyShLHz4D.toml b/changes/unreleased/5196.7keq7yJhXbMb9RyShLHz4D.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..42967044f4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/unreleased/5196.7keq7yJhXbMb9RyShLHz4D.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+features = "Full Support for Bot API 9.6"
+
+pull_requests = [
+    { uid = "5196", author_uid = "harshil21" },
+]
diff --git a/src/telegram/constants.py b/src/telegram/constants.py
index 3ae66ff0b4b..4017d77b273 100644
--- a/src/telegram/constants.py
+++ b/src/telegram/constants.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ class _AccentColor(NamedTuple):
 #: :data:`telegram.__bot_api_version_info__`.
 #:
 #: .. versionadded:: 20.0
-BOT_API_VERSION_INFO: Final[_BotAPIVersion] = _BotAPIVersion(major=9, minor=5)
+BOT_API_VERSION_INFO: Final[_BotAPIVersion] = _BotAPIVersion(major=9, minor=6)
 #: :obj:`str`: Telegram Bot API
 #: version supported by this version of `python-telegram-bot`. Also available as
 #: :data:`telegram.__bot_api_version__`.