diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 913a46da5..9f201bc4f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-FROM golang:1.15.8
+FROM golang:1.16.1
 
 WORKDIR /go/src/sigs.k8s.io/descheduler
 COPY . .
diff --git a/docs/contributor-guide.md b/docs/contributor-guide.md
index ada798102..87be4c182 100644
--- a/docs/contributor-guide.md
+++ b/docs/contributor-guide.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ## Required Tools
 
 - [Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads)
-- [Go 1.15+](https://golang.org/dl/)
+- [Go 1.16+](https://golang.org/dl/)
 - [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/install/)
 - [kubectl](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/install-kubectl)
 - [kind v0.10.0+](https://kind.sigs.k8s.io/)
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 07201cf67..ac3c012a8 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module sigs.k8s.io/descheduler
 
-go 1.15
+go 1.16
 
 require (
 	github.com/client9/misspell v0.3.4
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 1b0ea5f3c..11609c07f 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ github.com/fatih/color v1.7.0/go.mod h1:Zm6kSWBoL9eyXnKyktHP6abPY2pDugNf5Kwzbycv
 github.com/form3tech-oss/jwt-go v3.2.2+incompatible h1:TcekIExNqud5crz4xD2pavyTgWiPvpYe4Xau31I0PRk=
 github.com/form3tech-oss/jwt-go v3.2.2+incompatible/go.mod h1:pbq4aXjuKjdthFRnoDwaVPLA+WlJuPGy+QneDUgJi2k=
 github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.4.7/go.mod h1:jwhsz4b93w/PPRr/qN1Yymfu8t87LnFCMoQvtojpjFo=
-github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.4.9 h1:hsms1Qyu0jgnwNXIxa+/V/PDsU6CfLf6CNO8H7IWoS4=
 github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.4.9/go.mod h1:znqG4EE+3YCdAaPaxE2ZRY/06pZUdp0tY4IgpuI1SZQ=
 github.com/ghodss/yaml v0.0.0-20150909031657-73d445a93680/go.mod h1:4dBDuWmgqj2HViK6kFavaiC9ZROes6MMH2rRYeMEF04=
 github.com/ghodss/yaml v1.0.0/go.mod h1:4dBDuWmgqj2HViK6kFavaiC9ZROes6MMH2rRYeMEF04=
diff --git a/hack/update-gofmt.sh b/hack/update-gofmt.sh
index 927d76d72..46ef18b45 100755
--- a/hack/update-gofmt.sh
+++ b/hack/update-gofmt.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ DESCHEDULER_ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/..
 
 GO_VERSION=($(go version))
 
-if [[ -z $(echo "${GO_VERSION[2]}" | grep -E 'go1.13|go1.14|go1.15') ]]; then
+if [[ -z $(echo "${GO_VERSION[2]}" | grep -E 'go1.14|go1.15|go1.16') ]]; then
   echo "Unknown go version '${GO_VERSION[2]}', skipping gofmt."
   exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/hack/verify-gofmt.sh b/hack/verify-gofmt.sh
index fb2102491..a0067cb37 100755
--- a/hack/verify-gofmt.sh
+++ b/hack/verify-gofmt.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ DESCHEDULER_ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/..
 
 GO_VERSION=($(go version))
 
-if [[ -z $(echo "${GO_VERSION[2]}" | grep -E 'go1.13|go1.14|go1.15') ]]; then
+if [[ -z $(echo "${GO_VERSION[2]}" | grep -E 'go1.14|go1.15|go1.16') ]]; then
   echo "Unknown go version '${GO_VERSION[2]}', skipping gofmt."
   exit 1
 fi