diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/kubevirt.yml b/.gitlab-ci/kubevirt.yml
index 62401894c..554c4eb77 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/kubevirt.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/kubevirt.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ pr:
   parallel:
     matrix:
       - TESTCASE:
-          - almalinux8-calico
           - almalinux9-crio
           - almalinux9-kube-ovn
           - debian11-calico-collection
@@ -43,8 +42,6 @@ pr:
           - fedora39-kube-router
             # FIXME: this test if broken (perma-failing)
           - openeuler24-calico
-          - opensuse15-6-calico
-          - rockylinux8-calico
           - rockylinux9-cilium
           - ubuntu22-calico-all-in-one
           - ubuntu22-calico-all-in-one-upgrade
@@ -127,7 +124,6 @@ pr_extended:
           - debian11-docker
           - debian12-calico
           - debian12-docker
-          - opensuse15-6-docker-cilium
           - rockylinux9-calico
           - ubuntu22-all-in-one-docker
           - ubuntu24-all-in-one-docker
diff --git a/docs/ansible/ansible.md b/docs/ansible/ansible.md
index a21de529e..9c23b9b4e 100644
--- a/docs/ansible/ansible.md
+++ b/docs/ansible/ansible.md
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ Based on the table below and the available python version for your ansible host
 
 | Ansible Version | Python Version |
 |-----------------|----------------|
-| >= 2.16.4       | 3.10-3.12      |
+| >= 2.17.3       | 3.10-3.12      |
 
 ## Customize Ansible vars
 
diff --git a/docs/developers/ci.md b/docs/developers/ci.md
index 83341e5d7..4a1b7ce49 100644
--- a/docs/developers/ci.md
+++ b/docs/developers/ci.md
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ To generate this Matrix run `./tests/scripts/md-table/main.py`
 
 | OS / CNI | calico | cilium | custom_cni | flannel | kube-ovn | kube-router | macvlan |
 |---| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
-almalinux8 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 almalinux9 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: |
 amazon |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 debian11 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :white_check_mark: |
@@ -15,8 +14,6 @@ fedora39 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :white_check_mark: | :x
 fedora40 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 flatcar4081 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 openeuler24 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
-opensuse15 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
-rockylinux8 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 rockylinux9 |  :white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 ubuntu20 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 ubuntu22 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
@@ -26,7 +23,6 @@ ubuntu24 |  :white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: | :x: | :white_check_mark: |
 
 | OS / CNI | calico | cilium | custom_cni | flannel | kube-ovn | kube-router | macvlan |
 |---| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
-almalinux8 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 almalinux9 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 amazon |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 debian11 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
@@ -35,8 +31,6 @@ fedora39 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 fedora40 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 flatcar4081 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 openeuler24 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
-opensuse15 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
-rockylinux8 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 rockylinux9 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 ubuntu20 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 ubuntu22 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
@@ -46,7 +40,6 @@ ubuntu24 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 
 | OS / CNI | calico | cilium | custom_cni | flannel | kube-ovn | kube-router | macvlan |
 |---| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
-almalinux8 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 almalinux9 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 amazon |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 debian11 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
@@ -55,8 +48,6 @@ fedora39 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 fedora40 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 flatcar4081 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 openeuler24 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
-opensuse15 |  :x: | :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
-rockylinux8 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 rockylinux9 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 ubuntu20 |  :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
 ubuntu22 |  :white_check_mark: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: | :x: |
diff --git a/meta/runtime.yml b/meta/runtime.yml
index 4a44a2a55..b1198d777 100644
--- a/meta/runtime.yml
+++ b/meta/runtime.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 ---
-requires_ansible: '>=2.16.4'
+requires_ansible: ">=2.17.3"
diff --git a/playbooks/ansible_version.yml b/playbooks/ansible_version.yml
index 009183f7f..a07b401e6 100644
--- a/playbooks/ansible_version.yml
+++ b/playbooks/ansible_version.yml
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
   become: false
   run_once: true
   vars:
-    minimal_ansible_version: 2.16.4
-    maximal_ansible_version: 2.17.0
+    minimal_ansible_version: 2.17.3
+    maximal_ansible_version: 2.18.0
   tags: always
   tasks:
     - name: "Check {{ minimal_ansible_version }} <= Ansible version < {{ maximal_ansible_version }}"
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 62fb2e8d3..23f92aca8 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-ansible==9.13.0
+ansible==10.7.0
 # Needed for community.crypto module
 cryptography==45.0.4
 # Needed for jinja2 json_query templating
diff --git a/tests/files/almalinux8-calico.yml b/tests/files/almalinux8-calico.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index a717f8862..000000000
--- a/tests/files/almalinux8-calico.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
----
-# Instance settings
-cloud_image: almalinux-8
-vm_memory: 3072
-
-# Workaround for RHEL8: kernel version 4.18 is lower than Kubernetes system verification.
-kubeadm_ignore_preflight_errors:
-  - SystemVerification
diff --git a/tests/files/opensuse15-6-calico.yml b/tests/files/opensuse15-6-calico.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index c343278ce..000000000
--- a/tests/files/opensuse15-6-calico.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
----
-# Instance settings
-cloud_image: opensuse-leap-15-6
-
-kube_proxy_mode: nftables
diff --git a/tests/files/opensuse15-6-docker-cilium.yml b/tests/files/opensuse15-6-docker-cilium.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index b236eaec6..000000000
--- a/tests/files/opensuse15-6-docker-cilium.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
----
-# Instance settings
-cloud_image: opensuse-leap-15-6
-
-# Kubespray settings
-kube_network_plugin: cilium
-
-kube_owner: root
-
-# Docker specific settings:
-container_manager: docker
-etcd_deployment_type: docker
diff --git a/tests/files/rockylinux8-calico.yml b/tests/files/rockylinux8-calico.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index fc687ca0a..000000000
--- a/tests/files/rockylinux8-calico.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
----
-# Instance settings
-cloud_image: rockylinux-8
-vm_memory: 3072
-
-# Kubespray settings
-metrics_server_enabled: true
-dashboard_namespace: "kube-dashboard"
-dashboard_enabled: true
-loadbalancer_apiserver_type: haproxy
-
-# Workaround for RHEL8: kernel version 4.18 is lower than Kubernetes system verification.
-kubeadm_ignore_preflight_errors:
-  - SystemVerification
diff --git a/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh b/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh
index a427c550b..02a8efefb 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh
+++ b/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ if [ "${UPGRADE_TEST}" != "false" ]; then
   # Checkout the current tests/ directory ; even when testing old version,
   # we want the up-to-date test setup/provisionning
   git checkout "${CI_COMMIT_SHA}" -- tests/
+  pip install --no-compile --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 fi
 
 export ANSIBLE_BECOME=true
@@ -80,6 +81,8 @@ run_playbook cluster.yml
 if [ "${UPGRADE_TEST}" != "false" ]; then
   git checkout "${CI_COMMIT_SHA}"
 
+  pip install --no-compile --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
+
   case "${UPGRADE_TEST}" in
     "basic")
         run_playbook cluster.yml