diff --git a/changelog/1020.trivial b/changelog/1020.trivial
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..336a69fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/1020.trivial
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+pytest-xdist's ``setup.py`` file is removed.
+
+If you relied on this file, e.g. to install pytest using ``setup.py install``,
+please see `Why you shouldn't invoke setup.py directly <https://blog.ganssle.io/articles/2021/10/setup-py-deprecated.html#summary>`_ for alternatives.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 19ee000c..bb6cc5e1 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,14 +1,94 @@
 [build-system]
 requires = [
-  "setuptools>=45.0",
+  "setuptools>=61.2",
   "setuptools-scm[toml]>=6.2.3",
-  "wheel",
 ]
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
+[project]
+name = "pytest-xdist"
+description = "pytest xdist plugin for distributed testing, most importantly across multiple CPUs"
+readme = "README.rst"
+license = {file="LICENSE"}
+authors = [{name = "holger krekel and contributors", email = "pytest-dev@python.org"}, {email = "holger@merlinux.eu"}]
+classifiers = [
+    "Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable",
+    "Framework :: Pytest",
+    "Intended Audience :: Developers",
+    "License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License",
+    "Operating System :: POSIX",
+    "Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows",
+    "Operating System :: MacOS :: MacOS X",
+    "Topic :: Software Development :: Testing",
+    "Topic :: Software Development :: Quality Assurance",
+    "Topic :: Utilities",
+    "Programming Language :: Python",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
+]
+requires-python = ">=3.7"
+dependencies = [
+    "execnet>=1.1",
+    "pytest>=6.2.0",
+]
+dynamic = ["version"]
+
+[project.urls]
+Homepage = "https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-xdist"
+Documentation = "https://pytest-xdist.readthedocs.io/en/latest"
+Changelog = "https://pytest-xdist.readthedocs.io/en/latest/changelog.html"
+Source = "https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-xdist"
+Tracker = "https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-xdist/issues"
+
+[project.entry-points.pytest11]
+xdist = "xdist.plugin"
+"xdist.looponfail" = "xdist.looponfail"
+
+[project.optional-dependencies]
+testing = ["filelock"]
+psutil = ["psutil>=3.0"]
+setproctitle = ["setproctitle"]
+
+[tool.setuptools]
+zip-safe = false
+platforms = [
+    "linux",
+    "osx",
+    "win32",
+]
+include-package-data = false
+
 [tool.setuptools_scm]
 write_to = "src/xdist/_version.py"
 
+[tool.flake8]
+# Ignore any errors related to formatting, let black worry/fix them.
+ignore = ["E501", "W503", "E203"]
+max-line-length = 100
+
+[tool.mypy]
+mypy_path = ["src"]
+# TODO: Enable this & fix errors.
+# check_untyped_defs = true
+disallow_any_generics = true
+ignore_missing_imports = true
+no_implicit_optional = true
+show_error_codes = true
+strict_equality = true
+warn_redundant_casts = true
+warn_return_any = true
+warn_unreachable = true
+warn_unused_configs = true
+# TODO: Enable this & fix errors.
+# no_implicit_reexport = true
+
+
 [tool.towncrier]
 package = "xdist"
 filename = "CHANGELOG.rst"
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
deleted file mode 100644
index 8e420ae8..00000000
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,83 +0,0 @@
-[metadata]
-name = pytest-xdist
-description = pytest xdist plugin for distributed testing, most importantly across multiple CPUs
-long_description = file: README.rst
-long_description_content_type = text/x-rst
-license = MIT
-author = holger krekel and contributors
-author_email = pytest-dev@python.org,holger@merlinux.eu
-url = https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-xdist
-platforms =
-    linux
-    osx
-    win32
-classifiers =
-    Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable
-    Framework :: Pytest
-    Intended Audience :: Developers
-    License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License
-    Operating System :: POSIX
-    Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows
-    Operating System :: MacOS :: MacOS X
-    Topic :: Software Development :: Testing
-    Topic :: Software Development :: Quality Assurance
-    Topic :: Utilities
-    Programming Language :: Python
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12
-license_file = LICENSE
-project_urls =
-    Documentation=https://pytest-xdist.readthedocs.io/en/latest
-    Changelog=https://pytest-xdist.readthedocs.io/en/latest/changelog.html
-    Source=https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-xdist
-    Tracker=https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-xdist/issues
-
-[options]
-packages = find:
-package_dir = =src
-zip_safe = False
-python_requires = >=3.7
-install_requires =
-    execnet>=1.1
-    pytest>=6.2.0
-
-[options.packages.find]
-where = src
-
-[options.entry_points]
-pytest11 =
-    xdist = xdist.plugin
-    xdist.looponfail = xdist.looponfail
-
-[options.extras_require]
-testing =
-    filelock
-psutil = psutil>=3.0
-setproctitle = setproctitle
-
-[flake8]
-# Ignore any errors related to formatting, let black worry/fix them.
-ignore = E501, W503, E203
-max-line-length = 100
-
-[mypy]
-mypy_path = src
-# TODO: Enable this & fix errors.
-# check_untyped_defs = True
-disallow_any_generics = True
-ignore_missing_imports = True
-no_implicit_optional = True
-show_error_codes = True
-strict_equality = True
-warn_redundant_casts = True
-warn_return_any = True
-warn_unreachable = True
-warn_unused_configs = True
-# TODO: Enable this & fix errors.
-# no_implicit_reexport = True