diff --git a/.asf.yaml b/.asf.yaml
index aab8c1e6df2df..7f597369664a1 100644
--- a/.asf.yaml
+++ b/.asf.yaml
@@ -50,6 +50,75 @@ github:
     main:
       required_pull_request_reviews:
         required_approving_review_count: 1
+    # needs to be updated as part of the release process
+    # Github doesn't support wildcard branch protection rules, only exact branch names
+    # https://github.com/apache/infrastructure-asfyaml?tab=readme-ov-file#branch-protection
+    # Keeping set of protected branches for future releases
+    # Meanwhile creating a prerelease script that will update the branch protection names
+    # automatically. Keep track on it https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/17134
+    branch-50:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-51:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-52:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-53:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-54:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-55:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-56:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-57:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-58:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-59:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-60:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-61:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-62:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-63:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-64:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-65:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-66:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-67:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-68:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-69:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
+    branch-70:
+      required_pull_request_reviews:
+        required_approving_review_count: 1
   pull_requests:
     # enable updating head branches of pull requests
     allow_update_branch: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/extended.yml b/.github/workflows/extended.yml
index 805856339be51..ad63ea49d3514 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/extended.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/extended.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
+      # support extended test suite for release candidate branches,
+      # it is not expected to have many changes in these branches,
+      # so running extended tests is not a burden
+      - 'branch-*'
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       pr_number:
diff --git a/dev/release/README.md b/dev/release/README.md
index e5444ba4c6912..02c2f663c69b5 100644
--- a/dev/release/README.md
+++ b/dev/release/README.md
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ If you would like to propose your change for inclusion in a release branch for a
 patch release:
 
 1. Find (or create) the issue for the incremental release ([example release issue]) and discuss the proposed change there with the maintainers.
-1. Follow normal workflow to create PR to `main` branch and wait for its approval and merge.
-1. After PR is squash merged to `main`, branch from most recent release branch (e.g. `branch-37`), cherry-pick the commit and create a PR targeting the release branch [example backport PR].
+2. Follow normal workflow to create PR to `main` branch and wait for its approval and merge.
+3. After PR is squash merged to `main`, branch from most recent release branch (e.g. `branch-37`), cherry-pick the commit and create a PR targeting the release branch [example backport PR].
 
 For example, to backport commit `12345` from `main` to `branch-43`:
 
@@ -128,6 +128,15 @@ release.
 
 See [#9697](https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/9697) for an example.
 
+Modify `asf.yaml` to protect future release candidate branch to prevent accidental merges:
+
+```yaml
+# needs to be updated as part of the release process
+branch-50:
+  required_pull_request_reviews:
+    required_approving_review_count: 1
+```
+
 Here are the commands that could be used to prepare the `38.0.0` release:
 
 ### Update Version