2026 is here in New Zealand. The country has welcomed the New Year, and the internet is celebrating with great enthusiasm and fireworks. As the clock struck
midnight on Wednesday, New Zealand became one of the first countries in the world to bid farewell to 2025 and welcome 2026, lighting up the sky with a dazzling fireworks show in Auckland. Despite steady rain, the city’s waterfront came alive as fireworks burst from the iconic Sky Tower, marking the arrival of the New Year with colour and celebration. Auckland’s countdown once again placed it ahead of much of the world — nearly 18 hours before New York’s famous Times Square ball drop. The Sky Tower, New Zealand’s tallest structure, served as the centrepiece of the celebrations, hosting a five-minute fireworks display that saw around 3,500 fireworks launched from multiple levels of the 240-metre-high landmark. While weather concerns led to the cancellation of several smaller community events across the North Island due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms, the main celebration went ahead as planned. As visuals from Auckland flooded social media, the internet quickly joined the celebrations. Videos of fireworks cutting through the rain, countdown clips, and cheerful New Year wishes began trending across platforms, with users from around the world reacting to New Zealand being among the first to enter 2026. Many joked about still being stuck in 2025 while Auckland was already celebrating, while others shared festive posts, countdown memes, and live reactions to the early New Year scenes.
Meanwhile, attention also turned to what lay ahead for the rest of the world. Australia’s east coast is set to welcome 2026 two hours after New Zealand, though celebrations in Sydney are expected to be more subdued. The city’s New Year events come in the shadow of Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades, after a tragic attack at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14 claimed 15 lives and left dozens injured.
Even so, for now, the internet remains focused on New Zealand’s moment — with fireworks clips, celebratory reels, and global New Year wishes continuing to pour in as the world slowly follows Auckland into 2026.
