diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7b598b1b28..055a07312d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ IMPORT_BOSS_VER := v0.28.1
 IMPORT_BOSS := $(abspath $(TOOLS_BIN_DIR)/$(IMPORT_BOSS_BIN))
 IMPORT_BOSS_PKG := k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/import-boss
 
-CAPI_HACK_TOOLS_VER := 2dbfdf2159eba2195f673e0febd004a4438e32aa # Note: this is the commit ID of CAPI v1.9.0-beta.1
+CAPI_HACK_TOOLS_VER := 721b6cf772821d789e9165511ffcb8945f808a79 # Note: this is the commit ID of CAPI v1.9.0-rc.0
 
 BOSKOSCTL_BIN := boskosctl
 BOSKOSCTL := $(abspath $(TOOLS_BIN_DIR)/$(BOSKOSCTL_BIN))
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index bda163e5e4..2b2821eae0 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ module sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api-provider-vsphere
 
 go 1.22.0
 
-replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1
+replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0
 
 replace github.com/vmware-tanzu/vm-operator/pkg/constants/testlabels => github.com/vmware-tanzu/vm-operator/pkg/constants/testlabels v0.0.0-20240404200847-de75746a9505
 
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index d7164de77b..fedcd2d12c 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -417,8 +417,8 @@ k8s.io/utils v0.0.0-20240711033017-18e509b52bc8 h1:pUdcCO1Lk/tbT5ztQWOBi5HBgbBP1
 k8s.io/utils v0.0.0-20240711033017-18e509b52bc8/go.mod h1:OLgZIPagt7ERELqWJFomSt595RzquPNLL48iOWgYOg0=
 sigs.k8s.io/apiserver-network-proxy/konnectivity-client v0.30.3 h1:2770sDpzrjjsAtVhSeUFseziht227YAWYHLGNM8QPwY=
 sigs.k8s.io/apiserver-network-proxy/konnectivity-client v0.30.3/go.mod h1:Ve9uj1L+deCXFrPOk1LpFXqTg7LCFzFso6PA48q/XZw=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1 h1:2WS3kETgy+fccSXw437tQ38i/E7xNvzUGwJhXCDl2RU=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1/go.mod h1:D/VXz6N/gY2fo8MS4xa1VBE50rW1/YaQ/69H9RSA8zs=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0 h1:R7uBlTtCFkz2c2Oy+PGDod0yRtNRXz7dhyOkLtQBFaI=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0/go.mod h1:Wvjujq1g8+hBQYWYra7vZLoG1VlCfSisrAtOgUUgwvI=
 sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime v0.19.2 h1:3sPrF58XQEPzbE8T81TN6selQIMGbtYwuaJ6eDssDF8=
 sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime v0.19.2/go.mod h1:iRmWllt8IlaLjvTTDLhRBXIEtkCK6hwVBJJsYS9Ajf4=
 sigs.k8s.io/json v0.0.0-20221116044647-bc3834ca7abd h1:EDPBXCAspyGV4jQlpZSudPeMmr1bNJefnuqLsRAsHZo=
diff --git a/packaging/go.mod b/packaging/go.mod
index a7436559d6..07c19fc8b6 100644
--- a/packaging/go.mod
+++ b/packaging/go.mod
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ module sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api-provider-vsphere/packaging
 
 go 1.22.7
 
-replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1
+replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0
 
 replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api-provider-vsphere => ../
 
diff --git a/packaging/go.sum b/packaging/go.sum
index 79298c5c5d..2e628ac223 100644
--- a/packaging/go.sum
+++ b/packaging/go.sum
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@ k8s.io/kube-openapi v0.0.0-20240228011516-70dd3763d340 h1:BZqlfIlq5YbRMFko6/PM7F
 k8s.io/kube-openapi v0.0.0-20240228011516-70dd3763d340/go.mod h1:yD4MZYeKMBwQKVht279WycxKyM84kkAx2DPrTXaeb98=
 k8s.io/utils v0.0.0-20240711033017-18e509b52bc8 h1:pUdcCO1Lk/tbT5ztQWOBi5HBgbBP1J8+AsQnQCKsi8A=
 k8s.io/utils v0.0.0-20240711033017-18e509b52bc8/go.mod h1:OLgZIPagt7ERELqWJFomSt595RzquPNLL48iOWgYOg0=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1 h1:2WS3kETgy+fccSXw437tQ38i/E7xNvzUGwJhXCDl2RU=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1/go.mod h1:D/VXz6N/gY2fo8MS4xa1VBE50rW1/YaQ/69H9RSA8zs=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0 h1:R7uBlTtCFkz2c2Oy+PGDod0yRtNRXz7dhyOkLtQBFaI=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0/go.mod h1:Wvjujq1g8+hBQYWYra7vZLoG1VlCfSisrAtOgUUgwvI=
 sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime v0.19.2 h1:3sPrF58XQEPzbE8T81TN6selQIMGbtYwuaJ6eDssDF8=
 sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime v0.19.2/go.mod h1:iRmWllt8IlaLjvTTDLhRBXIEtkCK6hwVBJJsYS9Ajf4=
 sigs.k8s.io/json v0.0.0-20221116044647-bc3834ca7abd h1:EDPBXCAspyGV4jQlpZSudPeMmr1bNJefnuqLsRAsHZo=
diff --git a/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml b/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml
index a0aeef91d2..2673600f56 100644
--- a/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ providers:
     type: CoreProvider
     versions:
       - name: "v1.9.0"
-        value: "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/releases/download/v1.9.0-beta.1/core-components.yaml"
+        value: "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/releases/download/v1.9.0-rc.0/core-components.yaml"
         type: "url"
         contract: v1beta1
         files:
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ providers:
     type: BootstrapProvider
     versions:
       - name: "v1.9.0"
-        value: "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/releases/download/v1.9.0-beta.1/bootstrap-components.yaml"
+        value: "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/releases/download/v1.9.0-rc.0/bootstrap-components.yaml"
         type: "url"
         contract: v1beta1
         files:
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ providers:
     type: ControlPlaneProvider
     versions:
       - name: "v1.9.0"
-        value: "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/releases/download/v1.9.0-beta.1/control-plane-components.yaml"
+        value: "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/releases/download/v1.9.0-rc.0/control-plane-components.yaml"
         type: "url"
         contract: v1beta1
         files:
diff --git a/test/go.mod b/test/go.mod
index d6fd27a3e3..1e58621afb 100644
--- a/test/go.mod
+++ b/test/go.mod
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ module sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api-provider-vsphere/test
 
 go 1.22.0
 
-replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1
+replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0
 
-replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test v1.9.0-beta.1
+replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test => sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test v1.9.0-rc.0
 
 replace sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api-provider-vsphere => ../
 
@@ -172,6 +172,6 @@ require (
 	k8s.io/kube-openapi v0.0.0-20240228011516-70dd3763d340 // indirect
 	sigs.k8s.io/apiserver-network-proxy/konnectivity-client v0.30.3 // indirect
 	sigs.k8s.io/json v0.0.0-20221116044647-bc3834ca7abd // indirect
-	sigs.k8s.io/kind v0.24.0 // indirect
+	sigs.k8s.io/kind v0.25.0 // indirect
 	sigs.k8s.io/structured-merge-diff/v4 v4.4.1 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/test/go.sum b/test/go.sum
index 7905f20f69..caf5e6f5e4 100644
--- a/test/go.sum
+++ b/test/go.sum
@@ -508,16 +508,16 @@ k8s.io/utils v0.0.0-20240711033017-18e509b52bc8 h1:pUdcCO1Lk/tbT5ztQWOBi5HBgbBP1
 k8s.io/utils v0.0.0-20240711033017-18e509b52bc8/go.mod h1:OLgZIPagt7ERELqWJFomSt595RzquPNLL48iOWgYOg0=
 sigs.k8s.io/apiserver-network-proxy/konnectivity-client v0.30.3 h1:2770sDpzrjjsAtVhSeUFseziht227YAWYHLGNM8QPwY=
 sigs.k8s.io/apiserver-network-proxy/konnectivity-client v0.30.3/go.mod h1:Ve9uj1L+deCXFrPOk1LpFXqTg7LCFzFso6PA48q/XZw=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1 h1:2WS3kETgy+fccSXw437tQ38i/E7xNvzUGwJhXCDl2RU=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-beta.1/go.mod h1:D/VXz6N/gY2fo8MS4xa1VBE50rW1/YaQ/69H9RSA8zs=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test v1.9.0-beta.1 h1:T7/3uS1uxxbJGR7OdAhrRAsMMFfyR0kTghDWUkE/4YE=
-sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test v1.9.0-beta.1/go.mod h1:/VMTCqaBV3XrrtVo12MwjjDquX3p1PYjQCNolEUyazQ=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0 h1:R7uBlTtCFkz2c2Oy+PGDod0yRtNRXz7dhyOkLtQBFaI=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api v1.9.0-rc.0/go.mod h1:Wvjujq1g8+hBQYWYra7vZLoG1VlCfSisrAtOgUUgwvI=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test v1.9.0-rc.0 h1:lYDvc9cmCKon2zjwE5qetRO7j2YfJ9MMZeb4Hv89Tlc=
+sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test v1.9.0-rc.0/go.mod h1:SQKcvXlJ1fxk+gWRYp9J/sq6jKmd7onoDLqDFQbxt9M=
 sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime v0.19.2 h1:3sPrF58XQEPzbE8T81TN6selQIMGbtYwuaJ6eDssDF8=
 sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime v0.19.2/go.mod h1:iRmWllt8IlaLjvTTDLhRBXIEtkCK6hwVBJJsYS9Ajf4=
 sigs.k8s.io/json v0.0.0-20221116044647-bc3834ca7abd h1:EDPBXCAspyGV4jQlpZSudPeMmr1bNJefnuqLsRAsHZo=
 sigs.k8s.io/json v0.0.0-20221116044647-bc3834ca7abd/go.mod h1:B8JuhiUyNFVKdsE8h686QcCxMaH6HrOAZj4vswFpcB0=
-sigs.k8s.io/kind v0.24.0 h1:g4y4eu0qa+SCeKESLpESgMmVFBebL0BDa6f777OIWrg=
-sigs.k8s.io/kind v0.24.0/go.mod h1:t7ueEpzPYJvHA8aeLtI52rtFftNgUYUaCwvxjk7phfw=
+sigs.k8s.io/kind v0.25.0 h1:ugUvgesHKKA0yKmD6QtYTiEev+kPUpGxdTPbMGf8VTU=
+sigs.k8s.io/kind v0.25.0/go.mod h1:t7ueEpzPYJvHA8aeLtI52rtFftNgUYUaCwvxjk7phfw=
 sigs.k8s.io/structured-merge-diff v0.0.0-20190525122527-15d366b2352e/go.mod h1:wWxsB5ozmmv/SG7nM11ayaAW51xMvak/t1r0CSlcokI=
 sigs.k8s.io/structured-merge-diff/v4 v4.4.1 h1:150L+0vs/8DA78h1u02ooW1/fFq/Lwr+sGiqlzvrtq4=
 sigs.k8s.io/structured-merge-diff/v4 v4.4.1/go.mod h1:N8hJocpFajUSSeSJ9bOZ77VzejKZaXsTtZo4/u7Io08=