New Year's Eve LIVE: Celebrations begin as Kiribati rings in 2026

People take photos of digit 2026 installed in a Christmas fair opened prior to Christmas and New Year festivities in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati became the first country in the world to welcome 2026 as the clock struck midnight in its Line Islands, marking the official start of New Year’s celebrations globally.

A wave of countries and regions will ring in the New Year over the next several hours, beginning with parts of Oceania, followed by East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

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Countries including New Zealand and Australia are next in line to usher in 2026, with large public gatherings and fireworks displays planned in major cities. Several Asian nations, including Japan, South Korea, China, and India will follow shortly thereafter.

Across regions, authorities have put security arrangements and crowd-control measures in place, particularly in city centres and popular public venues, to manage New Year’s Eve celebrations.

December 31, 2025 16:07

Celebrations begin as parts of Kiribati welcome 2026

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati became the first country in the world to welcome 2026, setting off the global New Year celebrations. The country is located in the world’s earliest time zone, and parts of the country’s islands welcome the New Year before any other nation.

Published – December 31, 2025 04:01 pm IST