diff --git a/src/components/accordion/accordion.spec.tsx b/src/components/accordion/accordion.spec.tsx
index 1c58d6ac34c..40eb8538c76 100644
--- a/src/components/accordion/accordion.spec.tsx
+++ b/src/components/accordion/accordion.spec.tsx
@@ -10,63 +10,43 @@
 /// <reference types="cypress-real-events" />
 /// <reference types="../../../cypress/support" />
 
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
 import { EuiAccordion, EuiAccordionProps } from './index';
-import { EuiPanel } from '../../components/panel';
-import { htmlIdGenerator } from '../../services';
 
-const baseProps: EuiAccordionProps = {
+const sharedProps: EuiAccordionProps = {
   buttonContent: 'Click me to toggle',
-  id: htmlIdGenerator()(),
+  id: 'cypress-accordion',
   initialIsOpen: false,
+  children: (
+    <>
+      Test accordion content.{' '}
+      <a data-test-subj="childLink" href="#">
+        Focusable link inside content
+      </a>
+    </>
+  ),
 };
 
-const noArrow = { arrowDisplay: 'none' };
-const noArrowProps: EuiAccordionProps = Object.assign(baseProps, noArrow);
-
 describe('EuiAccordion', () => {
-  describe('Keyboard and screen reader accessibility', () => {
-    it('renders with required props', () => {
-      cy.realMount(
-        <EuiAccordion {...baseProps}>
-          <EuiPanel color="subdued">
-            Any content inside of <strong>EuiAccordion</strong> will appear
-            here.
-          </EuiPanel>
-        </EuiAccordion>
-      );
+  describe('keyboard and screen reader accessibility', () => {
+    it('does not tab to the arrow if the button is interactive', () => {
+      cy.realMount(<EuiAccordion {...sharedProps} initialIsOpen={true} />);
       cy.realPress('Tab');
       cy.focused().contains('Click me to toggle');
+      cy.realPress('Tab');
+      cy.focused().contains('Focusable link inside content');
     });
 
-    it('opens and closes on ENTER keypress', () => {
-      cy.realMount(
-        <EuiAccordion {...baseProps}>
-          <EuiPanel color="subdued">
-            Any content inside of <strong>EuiAccordion</strong> will appear
-            here.
-          </EuiPanel>
-        </EuiAccordion>
-      );
+    it('does tab to the arrow if the button is not interactive', () => {
+      cy.realMount(<EuiAccordion {...sharedProps} buttonElement="div" />);
       cy.realPress('Tab');
-      cy.focused().contains('Click me to toggle').realPress('Enter');
-      cy.realPress(['Shift', 'Tab']);
-      cy.focused().invoke('attr', 'aria-expanded').should('equal', 'true');
-      cy.realPress('Enter');
-      cy.focused().invoke('attr', 'aria-expanded').should('equal', 'false');
+      cy.focused().should('have.class', 'euiAccordion__arrow');
     });
 
-    it('opens and closes on SPACE keypress', () => {
-      cy.realMount(
-        <EuiAccordion {...baseProps}>
-          <EuiPanel color="subdued">
-            Any content inside of <strong>EuiAccordion</strong> will appear
-            here.
-          </EuiPanel>
-        </EuiAccordion>
-      );
+    it('opens and closes the accordion on keypress', () => {
+      cy.realMount(<EuiAccordion {...sharedProps} />);
       cy.realPress('Tab');
-      cy.focused().contains('Click me to toggle').realPress('Space');
+      cy.realPress('Enter');
       cy.realPress(['Shift', 'Tab']);
       cy.focused().invoke('attr', 'aria-expanded').should('equal', 'true');
       cy.realPress('Space');
@@ -74,65 +54,78 @@ describe('EuiAccordion', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('Props and navigation', () => {
-    it('should not have an arrow', () => {
-      cy.realMount(
-        <EuiAccordion {...noArrowProps}>
-          <EuiPanel color="subdued">
-            Any content inside of <strong>EuiAccordion</strong> will appear
-            here.
-          </EuiPanel>
-        </EuiAccordion>
-      );
-      cy.get('.euiAccordion__arrow').should('not.exist');
-    });
+  describe('focus management', () => {
+    const expectChildrenIsFocused = () => {
+      cy.focused()
+        .should('have.class', 'euiAccordion__childWrapper')
+        .should('have.attr', 'tabindex', '-1');
+    };
 
-    it('manages focus when panel is clicked', () => {
-      cy.realMount(
-        <EuiAccordion {...noArrowProps}>
-          <EuiPanel color="subdued">
-            Any content inside of <strong>EuiAccordion</strong> will appear
-            here.
-          </EuiPanel>
-        </EuiAccordion>
-      );
-      cy.get('button').contains('Click me to toggle').realClick();
-      cy.focused().invoke('attr', 'tabindex').should('equal', '-1');
-      cy.focused().contains('Any content inside of EuiAccordion');
+    it('focuses the accordion content when the arrow is clicked', () => {
+      cy.realMount(<EuiAccordion {...sharedProps} />);
+      cy.get('.euiAccordion__arrow').realClick();
+      expectChildrenIsFocused();
     });
 
-    it('manages focus when panel is opened by keyboard interaction', () => {
-      cy.realMount(
-        <EuiAccordion {...noArrowProps}>
-          <EuiPanel color="subdued">
-            Any content inside of <strong>EuiAccordion</strong> will appear
-            here. We will include <a href="#">a link</a> to confirm focus.
-          </EuiPanel>
-        </EuiAccordion>
-      );
+    it('focuses the accordion content when the button is clicked', () => {
+      cy.realMount(<EuiAccordion {...sharedProps} />);
       cy.realPress('Tab');
       cy.focused().contains('Click me to toggle').realPress('Enter');
-      cy.focused().invoke('attr', 'tabindex').should('equal', '-1');
-      cy.focused().contains('Any content inside of EuiAccordion');
-      cy.realPress('Tab');
-      cy.focused().contains('a link');
+      expectChildrenIsFocused();
     });
 
-    it('manages focus when forceState is open', () => {
-      cy.realMount(
-        <EuiAccordion {...noArrowProps} forceState="open">
-          <EuiPanel color="subdued">
-            Any content inside of <strong>EuiAccordion</strong> will appear
-            here. We will include <a href="#">a link</a> to confirm focus.
-          </EuiPanel>
-        </EuiAccordion>
-      );
-      cy.realPress('Tab');
-      cy.focused().contains('Click me to toggle');
-      cy.focused().invoke('attr', 'aria-expanded').should('equal', 'true');
-      cy.focused().invoke('attr', 'tabindex').should('not.exist');
-      cy.realPress('Tab');
-      cy.focused().contains('a link');
+    describe('forceState', () => {
+      it('does not focus the accordion when `forceState` prevents the accordion from opening', () => {
+        cy.realMount(<EuiAccordion {...sharedProps} forceState="closed" />);
+
+        cy.contains('Click me to toggle').realClick();
+        cy.focused()
+          .should('not.have.class', 'euiAccordion__childWrapper')
+          .contains('Click me to toggle');
+      });
+
+      it('does not focus the accordion when programmatically toggled from outside the accordion', () => {
+        const ControlledComponent = () => {
+          const [accordionOpen, setAccordionOpen] = useState(false);
+          return (
+            <>
+              <button
+                data-test-subj="toggleForceState"
+                onClick={() => setAccordionOpen(!accordionOpen)}
+              >
+                Control accordion
+              </button>
+              <EuiAccordion
+                {...sharedProps}
+                forceState={accordionOpen ? 'open' : 'closed'}
+              />
+            </>
+          );
+        };
+        cy.realMount(<ControlledComponent />);
+
+        cy.get('[data-test-subj="toggleForceState"]').realClick();
+        cy.focused()
+          .should('not.have.class', 'euiAccordion__childWrapper')
+          .should('have.attr', 'data-test-subj', 'toggleForceState');
+      });
+
+      it('attempts to focus the accordion children when `onToggle` controls `forceState`', () => {
+        const ControlledComponent = () => {
+          const [accordionOpen, setAccordionOpen] = useState(false);
+          return (
+            <EuiAccordion
+              {...sharedProps}
+              onToggle={(open) => setAccordionOpen(open)}
+              forceState={accordionOpen ? 'open' : 'closed'}
+            />
+          );
+        };
+        cy.realMount(<ControlledComponent />);
+
+        cy.contains('Click me to toggle').realClick();
+        expectChildrenIsFocused();
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/components/accordion/accordion.tsx b/src/components/accordion/accordion.tsx
index d51c3a9947b..80572d5babd 100644
--- a/src/components/accordion/accordion.tsx
+++ b/src/components/accordion/accordion.tsx
@@ -141,7 +141,18 @@ export class EuiAccordionClass extends Component<
   onToggle = () => {
     const { forceState } = this.props;
     if (forceState) {
-      this.props.onToggle?.(forceState === 'open' ? false : true);
+      const nextState = !this.isOpen;
+      this.props.onToggle?.(nextState);
+
+      // If the accordion should theoretically be opened, wait a tick (allows
+      // consumer state to update) and attempt to focus the child content.
+      // NOTE: Even if the accordion does not actually open, this is fine -
+      // the `inert` property on the hidden children will prevent focus
+      if (nextState === true) {
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+          this.accordionChildrenEl?.focus();
+        });
+      }
     } else {
       this.setState(
         (prevState) => ({
@@ -149,11 +160,23 @@ export class EuiAccordionClass extends Component<
         }),
         () => {
           this.props.onToggle?.(this.state.isOpen);
+
+          // If the accordion is open, programmatically move focus
+          // from the accordion trigger to the child content
+          if (this.state.isOpen) {
+            this.accordionChildrenEl?.focus();
+          }
         }
       );
     }
   };
 
+  // Used to focus the accordion children on user trigger click only (vs controlled/programmatic open)
+  accordionChildrenEl: HTMLDivElement | null = null;
+  accordionChildrenRef = (node: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
+    this.accordionChildrenEl = node;
+  };
+
   generatedId = htmlIdGenerator()();
 
   render() {
@@ -222,6 +245,7 @@ export class EuiAccordionClass extends Component<
           isLoading={isLoading}
           isLoadingMessage={isLoadingMessage}
           isOpen={this.isOpen}
+          accordionChildrenRef={this.accordionChildrenRef}
         >
           {children}
         </EuiAccordionChildren>
diff --git a/src/components/accordion/accordion_children/accordion_children.tsx b/src/components/accordion/accordion_children/accordion_children.tsx
index 0dca8d2b433..0c6f0a40cc1 100644
--- a/src/components/accordion/accordion_children/accordion_children.tsx
+++ b/src/components/accordion/accordion_children/accordion_children.tsx
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@
 import React, {
   FunctionComponent,
   HTMLAttributes,
-  useRef,
+  Ref,
   useCallback,
   useMemo,
   useState,
 } from 'react';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 
-import { useEuiTheme, useUpdateEffect } from '../../../services';
+import { useEuiTheme } from '../../../services';
 import { EuiResizeObserver } from '../../observer/resize_observer';
 
 import { EuiAccordionProps } from '../accordion';
@@ -32,11 +32,13 @@ type _EuiAccordionChildrenProps = HTMLAttributes<HTMLDivElement> &
     'children' | 'paddingSize' | 'isLoading' | 'isLoadingMessage'
   > & {
     isOpen: boolean;
+    accordionChildrenRef: Ref<HTMLDivElement>;
   };
 export const EuiAccordionChildren: FunctionComponent<
   _EuiAccordionChildrenProps
 > = ({
   children,
+  accordionChildrenRef,
   paddingSize,
   isLoading,
   isLoadingMessage,
@@ -67,8 +69,6 @@ export const EuiAccordionChildren: FunctionComponent<
     isOpen ? wrapperStyles.isOpen : wrapperStyles.isClosed,
   ];
 
-  const wrapperRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
-
   /**
    * Update the accordion wrapper height whenever the accordion opens, and also
    * whenever the child content updates (which will change the height)
@@ -83,21 +83,13 @@ export const EuiAccordionChildren: FunctionComponent<
     [isOpen, contentHeight]
   );
 
-  /**
-   * Focus the children wrapper when the accordion is opened,
-   * but not if the accordion is initially open on mount
-   */
-  useUpdateEffect(() => {
-    if (isOpen) wrapperRef.current?.focus();
-  }, [isOpen]);
-
   return (
     <div
       {...rest}
       className="euiAccordion__childWrapper"
       css={wrapperCssStyles}
       style={heightInlineStyle}
-      ref={wrapperRef}
+      ref={accordionChildrenRef}
       role="region"
       tabIndex={-1}
       // @ts-expect-error - inert property not yet available in React TS defs. TODO: Remove this once https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped/pull/60822 is merged
diff --git a/upcoming_changelogs/7314.md b/upcoming_changelogs/7314.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b66ef1c3ef0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/upcoming_changelogs/7314.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+**Accessibility**
+
+- `EuiAccordion`s no longer attempt to focus child content when the accordion is externally opened via `forceState`, but will continue to focus expanded content when users click the toggle button.