In pictures: New Year welcomed around the world

Matthew Tuckerand

Lucy Talavera

grey placeholder — Fireworks lit up the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during New Year’s Day celebrations in Australia

AFP via Getty Images Fireworks light up the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during New Year's Day celebrations in Australia. Boats are parked in the harbour facing the fireworks display. — Fireworks lit up the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during New Year’s Day celebrations in Australia

Countries around the world are welcoming the New Year as midnight strikes from time zone to time zone.

The island of Kiritimati – an atoll in the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati – became the first place to enter 2026. One tourist there told us he marked it “on a beach with no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs”.

Spectators in the UK have enjoyed thousands of fireworks light up London skies, while in Edinburgh crowds gathered in true Hogmanay fashion despite weather warnings.

In New York City, the ball dropped in Times Square amid confetti and cheers, watched by a crowd estimated to be around a million strong.

Kylie Cooper/Reuters Fireworks explode and confetti floats in front of a sign reading "Happy New Year" in New York City's Times Square — The beginning of a new year was met with confetti and cheers as crowds in Times Square welcomed 2026

Getty Images Tracey Collins, Eric Adams, and members of Gotham FC wait for the ball to drop during New Year's Eve in Times Square — New York City Mayor, Eric Adams, pressed the button to drop the ball in Times Square on the stroke of midnight

Tita Barros/Reuters Fireworks explode during New Year's celebrations at the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — Rio de Janiero put on a particularly spectacular pyrotechnic display, in the hopes of beating its 2024 Guinness World Record for the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration, when reportedly 2.5 million people gathered to celebrate

Getty Images Aerial view of Christ the Redeemer as fireworks to celebrate the New Year explode on Copacabana Beach during celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — A view of the Copacabana Beach celebrations from Christ the Redeemer

EPA Red fireworks light up the sky over London with the Big Ben visible on the left — The UK rings in the new year with a spectacular fireworks display over London’s Big Ben

PA Media Fireworks light up the sky over the London Eye in central London during New Year celebrations — The London Eye is illuminated by the fireworks display in central London

PA Media Fireworks light up the sky over Edinburgh Castle — Scotland welcomes 2026 with world-renowned fireworks over Edinburgh Castle

EPA Fireworks are seen over the Quadriga statue of the Brandenburg Gate during New Year's Eve celebrations in Berlin, Germany. — Fireworks light up the sky over the Brandenburg Gate during celebrations in Berlin

EPA Fireworks go off on the Arc de Triomphe in celebration of the new year on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France. — Crowds on Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France enjoy a light show and fireworks on the Arc de Triomphe

Shutterstock A city skyline with a firework display from the top of Auckland's Sky Tower — A firework display from the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower welcomed in the New Year

Shutterstock A firework display from the top of Auckland's Sky Tower welcomes in the New Year

Australia lit up the sky over the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge with their famous fireworks display.

AFP via Getty Images Fireworks lit up the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during New Year's Day celebrations in Australia

Getty Images People enjoy the New Year's Eve firework displays at Opera House on December 31, 2025 in Sydney, Australia.

In Sydney, celebrations were tempered by sadness as the nation reflected on the Bondi Beach attack on 14 December in which 15 people were killed.

At 23:00 local time, Sydney Harbour fell silent for a minute, with crowds holding lights to remember the victims of Bondi. A Jewish menorah was projected on to the pylons of the Harbour Bridge.

AFP via Getty Images A message reading "Peace, Unity" is projected on the pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge — A message reading “Peace, Unity” was projected on the pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as the city waited for the midnight countdown

EPA A group of spectators shining lights from their mobile phones during a tribute to the victims of the Bondi terror attack during the New Year's Eve Celebrations at Mrs Macquaries Point in Sydney, Australia — In Sydney, New Year’s Eve spectators shone the lights from their mobile phones during a tribute to the victims of the Bondi terror attack

Getty Images An image of a menorah is projected onto the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31, 2025, in Sydney, Australia.

Elsewhere, there were more fireworks at Marina Bay Waterfront in Singapore.

Getty Images Fireworks light up the sky at Marina Bay Waterfront in Singapore in celebration of midnight on New Year's Eve 2026.

Fireworks matched the brilliance of skyscraper lights in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Getty Images Fireworks explode over skyscrapers during New Year celebrations in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines

Thousands lined the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok as Thailand welcomed the New Year.

Getty Images Fireworks over the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok, Thailand, lighting up the skyline and boats

In Dubai, people watched fireworks from the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, following a performance with light displays, music and water jets.

Reuters People hold their phones and watch fireworks near the Burj Khalifa during New Year's celebrations in Dubai

In Hong Kong, spectators enjoyed live performances with fetching headwear.

AFP via Getty Images People watch live performances and a light show during New Year's Day celebrations in Hong Kong on January 1, 2026.

The Juyongguan Great Wall was lit up in Beijing.

Getty Images The 2026 Beijing New Year Countdown celebration at the Juyongguan Great Wall on December 31, 2025 in Beijing, China.

Laser lights dominated the night sky over the Lotte World Tower, South Korea’s tallest building in Seoul.

AFP via Getty Images Laser lights illuminate the midnight sky over the Lotte World Tower, South Korea's tallest building in Seoul

At the Bosingak pavilion in Seoul, artists performed during the New Year countdown.

EPA South Korean artists perform on stage during a New Year's Eve countdown event at the Bosingak pavilion in Seoul, South Korea, 31 December 2025. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Red Horse.

A street performer showed off her fiery skills as part of the Procession of Light in Dublin before heading to the Matinee Countdown Concert in Dublin Castle.

PA Media A street performer takes part in the Procession of Light in Dublin. She is holding apparatus with fire on the end

In other parts of the world, nations marked the coming New Year with their own traditions.

On a nudist beach in Le Cap d’Agde, southern France, clothed and unclothed revellers took part in a traditional sea dip to mark the New Year’s celebrations.

AFP via Getty Images A group of people in the sea wearing santa hats and swimwear, with their thumbs up taking a selfie

Swimmers at Islands Brygge Harbour Bath in Copenhagen, Denmark, also braved the cold waters for a traditional splash, known as Nytaarsbad.

Getty Images A group of people jumping in a cold water pool making a splash

In Ommen, the Netherlands, local residents watched the annual carbide shooting – a New Year’s Eve tradition of turning milk cans into cannons.

Shutterstock In Ommen, the Netherlands, milk cans fire footballs out the end of with lots of fire.

Shutterstock In Ommen, the Netherlands, milk cans fire footballs out the end of with lots of fire as families look on

In Osaka, Japan, young women dressed in traditional kimono took part in a Shinto ritual procession to mark the end of the year at Sumiyoshi Taisha, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.