diff --git a/Doc/requirements.txt b/Doc/requirements.txt
index 716772b7f28..d0107744ecb 100644
--- a/Doc/requirements.txt
+++ b/Doc/requirements.txt
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # won't suddenly cause build failures. Updating the version is fine as long
 # as no warnings are raised by doing so.
 # Keep this version in sync with ``Doc/conf.py``.
-sphinx~=9.0.0
+sphinx<9.0.0
 
 blurb