How to Create a Future Sprint in Jira

Updated on:

May 11, 2026

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Use this interactive demo to learn how to set up a future sprint in your Jira Scrum backlog.

Quick summary

Creating a future sprint in Jira lets agile teams plan ahead by organizing backlog items into upcoming sprint containers without starting them immediately. This keeps your Scrum backlog structured and your team aligned on what comes next after the current sprint ends.

Steps

Open your Jira project with a Scrum board and click Backlog in the left sidebar.
Click Create sprint to add a new sprint container to the backlog.
A new sprint container will appear — repeat the process to create multiple future sprints as needed.
Drag and drop backlog items into the sprint container to assign them to the future sprint.
Leave the future sprint in the backlog without starting it until the current sprint is completed.

📌 Why this matters

Planning future sprints in Jira allows agile teams to organize and prioritize upcoming work without disrupting the active sprint, keeping the entire team aligned on the roadmap. By pre-loading backlog items into future sprint containers, teams reduce sprint planning time and improve velocity forecasting. This feature is essential for Scrum teams that manage multiple concurrent workstreams or need to commit to delivery timelines in advance. Effective future sprint planning in Jira directly supports better capacity management and more predictable release cycles.

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