Updated Jan 1, 2026 - World

Photos: New Year's celebrations from NYC to Sydney, as world welcomes 2026

Rebecca Falconer

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People take part in New Year's Eve celebrations on January 01, 2026 in New York City. Thousands of people packed into Times Square to celebrate and watch the ball drop, with over one ton of confetti being released at midnight. — People take part in New Year's celebrations in New York City's Times Square, where thousands of people have been celebrating on Jan. 1, 2026, and watched the ball drop — with over one ton of confetti being released at midnight. Photo: Adam Gray/Getty Images

Millions of Americans across the U.S. joined people around the world in New Year's celebrations ringing in 2026 on Thursday.

The big picture: South Pacific countries were the first to farewell 2025 and welcome New Year's Day — 18 hours ahead of the iconic Times Square ball drop in New York City.

Red and white fireworks explode over the illuminated Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., with the U.S. Capitol visible in the background against a night sky. — Fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 1. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Night fireworks of red, white, and blue burst above a bridge lit in matching colors, with numerous boats below on dark water reflecting the lights. — The scene at downtown Miami, Florida, across Biscayne Bay from a bridge connecting Miami and Miami Beach ahead of Miami-Dade County's New Year's celebrations on Jan. 1. Photo: Jesus Olarte/Anadolu via Getty Images

Group of people enjoying a night out on a decorated street with colorful lights. A man in a blue cap and striped apron holds a cigar, others wear beads and casual clothes, smiling and pointing. — Partygoers celebrate ringing in New Year's Day at the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 1. Photo: Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images

Bright pink firework exploding over a night cityscape featuring a lit suspension bridge and a clock tower illuminated in red and white lights. — Fireworks light up the sky behind the Ferry Building and over the Bay Bridge during rainy New Year's celebrations in San Francisco, California, United States on Jan. 1. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

The backs of 3 people in winter coats watching a display of fireworks illuminating the skyline as part of New Year celebrations in in Baltimore, Maryland, United States on January 1 — People watch the New Year's fireworks in in Baltimore, Maryland, on Jan. 1. Photo: Islam Dogru/Anadolu via Getty Images

People on a beach at night with waves crashing, a shirtless man with arms outstretched, a couple hugging, and another person taking photos as fireworks light up the smoky sky. — The traditional New Year's fireworks at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1. Rio received the title of the world's largest New Year's Eve celebration from the Guinness World Records two days earlier. Photo: Tercio Teixeira/AFP via Getty Images

Nighttime cultural dance performance with a performer in a large, fluffy straw costume and mask, surrounded by a crowd watching under hanging bright lights. — A dance troop member dressed in a masquerade costume dances in front of a crowd during the Sierra Leone New Year's Cultural Festival in Kabala on Jan. 1. Photo: Gemma Bonfiglioli/AFP via Getty Images

Nighttime celebration with crowd facing illuminated Great Wall of China section and stage displaying "Beijing 2026," "Happy New Year," and Chinese characters with bright white light beams. — The 2026 Beijing New Year Countdown celebration at China's Juyongguan Great Wall on Jan. 1, 2026 in Beijing, China. Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

A young man swings a burning tire in Sebokeng township, south of Johannesburg, to welcome the New Year. The tradition of setting a tyre alight and spinning it in the air began during the apartheid era, when black township communities found creative — New Year's celebrations in Sebokeng township, south of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Jan. 1. The tradition of setting a tire alight and spinning it in the air began during the apartheid era, when Black communities found creative ways to celebrate despite limited resources. Today, the fiery display remains a lively and symbolic expression of community spirit, resilience and the joy of starting a new year together. Photo: Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images

Many people gather in a square surrounded by buildings, with a Christmas tree featuring yellow lights, to watch pink and white fireworks to celebrate the New Year in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, on Jan. 1. — Fireworks celebrating the New Year in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, on Jan. 1. Photo: Erkin Keci/Anadolu via Getty Images

People gather to celebrate New Year's Eve at the Jogyesa buddhist temple on December 31, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea, beneath brightly lit up decorations including yellow stars with smiley faces. — People gather to celebrate New Year's Eve at the Jogyesa buddhist temple on Dec. 31 in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

White pyrotechnics form a heart shape above yellow fireworks lighting up the otherwise dark sky over the skyline in Barcelona, Spain. — Pyrotechnics, drones and music are the central elements of the show to welcome the year 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, on Jan. 1. Photo: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A fair-skinned couple in thick winter coats and red-white Santa hats look at yellow sparklers they're holding as snow and the Kremlin can be seen in the background. — New Year's Eve celebrations on Dec. 31 next to Red Square, in Moscow, Russia, which is closed to visitors through 10am on Jan. 1 local time. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

White fireworks light up the sky in London, England, in front of the Queen Elizabeth Tower clock face and over the London Eye, which is lit in yellow. — The New Year's Eve Fireworks Show marking the end of 2025 and the start of 2026 is launched in London, England. Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images

Pink New Year's fireworks (L) near the Eiffel Tower, which is lit up in yellow lights amid a dark sky in Paris, France, — New Year's fireworks near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on Dec. 31. Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images

Fireworks light up the night sky over Egypt's ancient pyramids to welcome the New Year 2026 at the pyramids on January 01, 2026 in Giza, Egypt. — Fireworks celebrations over Egypt's ancient pyramids at night in Giza on Jan. 1. Photo: Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images

Fireworks light up the dark sky over a large crowd and a black stage with white spotlights, which has Iraq's tricolore flag, colored (from top) red, white and green. — Thousands attend firework celebrations in Zakho, Iraq, on Jan. 1. Photo: Rawan Subhi Obaiullah/Anadolu via Getty Images

Pink, blue and red lasers can be seen in the sky toward the Brandenburg Gate, which is lit up and white amid a dark sky during a New Year's Eve party in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 31. White lights can be seen either side of the silhouetted crowd leading up to the gate. — Lasers light up the sky over the Brandenburg Gate during a New Year's Eve party in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 31. Photo: Britta Pedersen/DPA/Picture All Pedersen/DPA/Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Filipino children, 2 in green tops (L) and 3 in red tops, light up sparklers during New Year celebrations in Makati, Metro Manila on January 1, 2026. — Children light up sparklers during New Year 's celebrations in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Jan. 1, 2026. Photo: Jam Sta Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

Fireworks explode next to the ancient Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis during New Year celebrations in Athens, Greece, o — Fireworks explode next to the ancient Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis during New Year celebrations in Athens, Greece, on Jan. 1. Photo: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP via Getty Images

People watch fireworks, some of which form to make the number "2026" light up the sky during New Year celebrations in Lusail early on January 1, 2026. — A fireworks display during New Year celebrations in Lusail, Qatar, early on Jan. 1. Photo: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images

A man gestures as he leans out of a car while spinning during a spinners event at an arena for a crossover gathering on New Year's Eve in Bulawayo on December 31, 2025. — A spinners' gathering at an arena for New Year's Eve celebrations in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on Dec. 31. Photo: Zinyange Auntony/AFP via Getty Images

Silhouettes of revelers watching red and yellow fireworks during the New Year's celebrations near a stone temple (L) in Karachi, Pakistan on Jan. 1 — Revelers watch fireworks during the New Year's celebrations in Karachi, Pakistan, on Jan. 1. Photo: Rizwan Tabassum/AFP via Getty Images

White New Year's fireworks light up the dark sky near the red The Huc Bridge over the river at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam, — New Year's fireworks near the The Huc Bridge at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan. 1. Photo: Nhac Nguyen/AFP via Getty Images

Fireworks light up the sky over Australia's Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House during New Year's celebrations on Jan. 1, 2026. Photo: Izhar Khan/Getty Images — Fireworks light up the sky over Australia's Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House during New Year's celebrations on Jan. 1. Photo: Izhar Khan/Getty Images

Yellow fireworks light up the pink Sky Tower as the water reflects the tower and other lit-up sky scrapers in Auckland, New Zealand. — Auckland, New Zealand, becomes the first major city to welcome Jan. 1, 2026. Photo: Rebecca Falconer/Axios

Flashback: New Year's celebrations in U.S. and around the world in 2025

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated with more photos as they come in.

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