In pictures: Sydney helps kick off celebrations as world ushers in 2026

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Asia / Pacific

Australia, New Zealand and several eastern Asian nations were the first countries to ring in 2026 with spectacular fireworks displays. The rest of Asia, Africa and Europe will be the next regions to watch as the countdown clock ticks down to midnight.

Issued on: 31/12/2025 - 15:45 Modified: 31/12/2025 - 15:50

1 min Reading time

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:388/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:720/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:1024/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.webp 1024w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:1280/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.webp 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px"> <img fetchpriority="high" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:1280/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:388/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:720/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:1024/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.jpg 1024w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/57b16fee-e651-11f0-b81a-005056bfb2b6/w:1280/p:16x9/AP25365497487040.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px" width="1280" height="720" alt="Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the New Year celebrations in Sydney, Thursday, January 1, 2026" loading="eager" class="a-img "/> Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the New Year celebrations in Sydney on January 1, 2026. © Rick Rycroft, AP The world is welcoming 2026 with a bang as revellers enjoy fireworks and parties to bring in the New Year. Here is a selection of pictures as countries and cities around the world usher in 2026:

Australia

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP25365497419585.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP25365497419585.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP25365497419585.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP25365497419585.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP25365497419585.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP25365497419585.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP25365497419585.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP25365497419585.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/94e8ed50-e652-11f0-9e82-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP25365497419585.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the New Year celebrations in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> As usual, Sydney was one of the first cities to usher in the New Year with spectacular fireworks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. © Rick Rycroft, AP Japan

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:246/AP25365499535346.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:388/AP25365499535346.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:720/AP25365499535346.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:980/AP25365499535346.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:980/AP25365499535346.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:246/AP25365499535346.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:388/AP25365499535346.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:720/AP25365499535346.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/23aa9dbc-e654-11f0-85a9-005056a97e36/w:980/AP25365499535346.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="People gather to celebrate the New Year at the Zojoji Buddhist temple, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> People gather to celebrate the New Year at the Zojoji Buddhist temple on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. © Eugene Hoshiko, AP South Korea

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:246/000-89CG2G3.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:388/000-89CG2G3.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:720/000-89CG2G3.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:980/000-89CG2G3.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:980/000-89CG2G3.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:246/000-89CG2G3.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:388/000-89CG2G3.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:720/000-89CG2G3.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/c04a592e-e653-11f0-bbf4-005056bfb2b6/w:980/000-89CG2G3.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="A woman takes a photo beneath lanterns attached with New Year's wishes of Buddhist followers at Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul on December 31, 2025" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> A woman takes a photo beneath lanterns attached with New Year's wishes of Buddhist followers at Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul on December 31, 2025. © Jung Yeon-je, AFP Taiwan

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP25365503868206.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP25365503868206.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP25365503868206.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP25365503868206.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP25365503868206.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:246/AP25365503868206.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:388/AP25365503868206.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:720/AP25365503868206.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/53a22e36-e654-11f0-b500-005056bfb2b6/w:980/AP25365503868206.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="People cheer during the 2026 Taipei New Year's Party celebration in front of the Taipei City Government Building in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025" style="max-height:591px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> People cheer during the 2026 Taipei New Year's Party celebration in front of the Taipei City Government Building in Taipei, Taiwan, on December 31, 2025. © ChiangYing-ying, AP India

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:246/000-89CJ8EQ.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:388/000-89CJ8EQ.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:720/000-89CJ8EQ.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:980/000-89CJ8EQ.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:980/000-89CJ8EQ.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:246/000-89CJ8EQ.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:388/000-89CJ8EQ.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:720/000-89CJ8EQ.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/646bd580-e656-11f0-82f1-005056a97e36/w:980/000-89CJ8EQ.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="A girl poses with her painted face and hands during New Year's Eve celebrations in Amritsar on December 31, 2025" style="max-height:563px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> A girl poses with her painted face and hands during New Year's Eve celebrations in Amritsar on December 31, 2025. © Narinder Nanu, AFP China

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:246/000-89CE4PU.webp 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:388/000-89CE4PU.webp 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:720/000-89CE4PU.webp 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:980/000-89CE4PU.webp 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px"> <img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:980/000-89CE4PU.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:246/000-89CE4PU.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:388/000-89CE4PU.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:720/000-89CE4PU.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/0cb04970-e656-11f0-bad4-005056a97e36/w:980/000-89CE4PU.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="People stand beneath a large screen showing China's President Xi Jinping delivering a speech ahead of the New Year's eve celebrations in Beijing on December 31, 2025" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> People stand beneath a large screen showing China's President Xi Jinping delivering a speech ahead of the New Year's eve celebrations in Beijing on December 31, 2025. © Wang Zhao, AFP (FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)