New York City marked the arrival of 2026 as the iconic ball descended in Times Square above a dense crowd of participants. Celebrations were not limited to New York, as other major urban centers along the East Coast, such as Boston, Miami, and Washington, also welcomed the new year.
The clock simultaneously struck midnight in Ottawa, Canada. By midday GMT, the entire world will have officially entered 2026, though several regions have yet to reach midnight.
The East Coast of the US is next in line to celebrate the new year, leaving a decreasing number of locations on the countdown list.
05:00 GMT – New York City, Havana, and Washington.
06:00 GMT – Chicago and Mexico City.
08:00 GMT – Los Angeles.
10:00 GMT – Honolulu, Hawaii, the report concluded.
As the final hours of the year ticked away, vast multitudes converged on Times Square in New York City. Projections from CBS News indicated that the crowd size would likely swell to one million revelers. While the ball drop remained the centerpiece, the waiting throngs were entertained by acts including Tones and I, Ciara, and Robyn, according to reports. At his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Donald Trump expressed his wish for "peace on Earth" while preparing to welcome the New Year with his wife, Melania, the New York Post reported.
The president, donning a tuxedo, spoke momentarily to journalists outside the ballroom while standing alongside Melania, who wore a silver dress, the outlet noted. Responding to inquiries about his resolutions for 2026, Trump simply stated, "Peace on Earth," before proceeding to the festivities, according to the New York Post. Inside the crowded hall, the former president assured guests that the United States is "doing great," the publication reported. "We're back. We're strong," he added, per the New York Post. He then pledged to "get to the bottom" of accusations concerning rampant welfare fraud in Minnesota before turning the program over to a live painter, the report stated. Among the distinguished guests was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had met with Trump days earlier to review the Gaza ceasefire, according to the New York Post.
🚨WATCH: Fireworks show at Mar-a-Lago: PM Netanyahu and President Trump celebrate the New Year together pic.twitter.com/yT4yr4bNzy
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) January 1, 2026
Lara Trump joined the president's sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., at the event, the outlet noted. The New York Post listed numerous allies in attendance, including Sergio Gor, Dan Scavino, Rudy Giuliani, Tom Emmer, Jeanine Pirro, and Kristi Noem. Hussain Sajwani, an Emirati billionaire who recently pledged a massive investment in US data centers, was also present, according to the report. Surveying the room, Trump remarked, "We have a lot of leaders," the New York Post reported.
The exclusive gathering featured Vanessa Horabuena, a Christian artist who created a rapid painting of Jesus for charity, the outlet stated. "These people are loaded with cash," Trump quipped during the auction, according to the New York Post. The winning bid of $2.5 million was designated for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and local law enforcement, the report noted. Across the Atlantic, the United Kingdom ushered in 2026 with spectacular fireworks along the Thames, while Edinburgh hosted its traditional Hogmanay street party, media reports said.
Celebrations also unfolded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a major gathering on Copacabana Beach, according to reports. In New York, anticipation built as crowds approached the one-million mark ahead of the midnight event, reports stated. Earlier in the evening, fireworks lit up European skies from Berlin to Paris and Barcelona, media outlets noted. Other regions marked the transition with bell-ringing, drumming, and a light show at Dubai's Burj Khalifa, reports concluded.
