diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/77398-remove-plugin_filters_cfg-default.yml b/changelogs/fragments/77398-remove-plugin_filters_cfg-default.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..55ab92cf545
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/77398-remove-plugin_filters_cfg-default.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+removed_features:
+  - Remove deprecated ``plugin_filters_cfg`` config option from ``default`` section (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/77398)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
index 451e429becf..5cdb4798d37 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
@@ -1815,12 +1815,6 @@ PLUGIN_FILTERS_CFG:
     - "See :ref:`plugin_filtering_config` for details of the filter file's format."
     - " The default is /etc/ansible/plugin_filters.yml"
   ini:
-  - key: plugin_filters_cfg
-    section: default
-    deprecated:
-      why: specifying "plugin_filters_cfg" under the "default" section is deprecated
-      version: "2.12"
-      alternatives: the "defaults" section instead
   - key: plugin_filters_cfg
     section: defaults
   type: path
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_lookup.ini b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_lookup.ini
index 17e58e334db..c14afadc98a 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_lookup.ini
+++ b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_lookup.ini
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[default]
+[defaults]
 retry_files_enabled = False
 plugin_filters_cfg = ./filter_lookup.yml
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_modules.ini b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_modules.ini
index ab39beddbc4..97e672f3fab 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_modules.ini
+++ b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_modules.ini
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[default]
+[defaults]
 retry_files_enabled = False
 plugin_filters_cfg = ./filter_modules.yml
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_ping.ini b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_ping.ini
index aabbde45666..b837bd7a7f2 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_ping.ini
+++ b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_ping.ini
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[default]
+[defaults]
 retry_files_enabled = False
 plugin_filters_cfg = ./filter_ping.yml
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_stat.ini b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_stat.ini
index 13a103ddb34..7d18f11e7e0 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_stat.ini
+++ b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/filter_stat.ini
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[default]
+[defaults]
 retry_files_enabled = False
 plugin_filters_cfg = ./filter_stat.yml
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/no_filters.ini b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/no_filters.ini
index 4b42c8c4658..e4eed7bcea4 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/no_filters.ini
+++ b/test/integration/targets/plugin_filtering/no_filters.ini
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[default]
+[defaults]
 retry_files_enabled = False
 plugin_filters_cfg = ./empty.yml