Kiribati was the first country to ring in 2026 at 12h00 Namibian time. The country has three time zones, with Kiritimati (Christmas Island) being the first to welcome the new year.
The next countries to enter 2026 will be the Pacific Island nations of Samoa and Tonga.
In a few hours, New Zealand and Australia are expected to host spectacular firework displays, which will be livestreamed around the world.
It takes a full 26 hours for the entire globe to enter the new year.
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