diff --git a/doc/source/whatsnew/index.rst b/doc/source/whatsnew/index.rst
index e933b3e84c481..1f12859e4081e 100644
--- a/doc/source/whatsnew/index.rst
+++ b/doc/source/whatsnew/index.rst
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Version 2.1
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 2
 
+   v2.1.1
    v2.1.0
 
 Version 2.0
diff --git a/doc/source/whatsnew/v2.1.1.rst b/doc/source/whatsnew/v2.1.1.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..66f6d59d08cb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/source/whatsnew/v2.1.1.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+.. _whatsnew_211:
+
+What's new in 2.1.1 (September XX, 2023)
+----------------------------------------
+
+These are the changes in pandas 2.1.1. See :ref:`release` for a full changelog
+including other versions of pandas.
+
+{{ header }}
+
+.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+.. _whatsnew_211.regressions:
+
+Fixed regressions
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+-
+
+.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+.. _whatsnew_211.bug_fixes:
+
+Bug fixes
+~~~~~~~~~
+-
+
+.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+.. _whatsnew_211.other:
+
+Other
+~~~~~
+-
+
+.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+.. _whatsnew_211.contributors:
+
+Contributors
+~~~~~~~~~~~~