How to Stream the 2026 New Year’s Eve Ball Drop: What to Know About Watching the Times Square Event for Free
- - How to Stream the 2026 New Year’s Eve Ball Drop: What to Know About Watching the Times Square Event for Free
Samantha Stutsman, Emily KrauserDecember 31, 2025 at 3:00 PM
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TheStewartofNY/FilmMagic
A view of the New Year's Eve ball drop at Times Square in New York City on Dec. 31, 2024. -
The famous New Year's Eve ball will begin its 60-second descent from the One Times Square flagpole on Dec. 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET
The first ball drop took place in New York City in 1907
You can stream the iconic tradition for free on social media and across networks
Get ready to ring in 2026!
It's an annual tradition for nearly 1 million people to gather in N.Y.C. every Dec. 31 to watch the annual New Year's Eve ball drop, while over 1 billion more people tune in on TV to see the symbolic start of the new year.
The famous ball has descended the flagpole atop One Times Square since 1907. The newest and ninth iteration, the Constellation Ball, debuted in 2025.
Notably, 2026 will be marked by the usual drop followed by the ball being relit in a red, white and blue design in preparation for the United States' 250th anniversary. According to USA Today, the ball will then rise again above the 2026 sign and wait until the Fourth of July to come back down.
While the ball drop is the most anticipated part of New Year's Eve, there are many events to watch to close out 2025 before that magical moment.
When it comes to live broadcasting in N.Y.C., Ryan Seacrest will welcome several performers on the ABC special Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, including Chance the Rapper (also a co-host with Julianne Hough), Chappell Roan and Charlie Puth. Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will also be counting down from Times Square on CNN's New Year's Eve Live.
Meanwhile, comedian Bert Kreischer and singer-songwriter HARDY will be down South hosting New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash, where audiences will be treated to performances by the likes of Keith Urban, Jason Aldean and Lainey Wilson.
Regardless of which special you watch (or the multiple you flip through leading up to 2026!), you'll want all eyes on One Times Square when the clock strikes midnight. Read on to find out how to watch and stream the 2026 New Year's Eve ball drop for free.
When was the first New Year's Eve ball drop?
Truman Moore/Getty
Crowds of people gather in Times Square to celebrate New Year's Eve in N.Y.C. on Jan. 1, 1963.
Revelers first celebrated New Year's Eve in Times Square in 1904, and the first ball drop took place three years later in 1907, according to the official Times Square website.
Built by Jacob Starr, a young immigrant metalworker, the inaugural sphere was five feet in diameter and weighed 700 lbs. It was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs.
There has been a ball drop every year since 1907 except for 1942 and 1943, due to World War II. Crowds still gathered in N.Y.C. during those years, but instead of a ball drop, attendees observed a minute of silence.
The New Year's Eve ball has been redesigned a few times over the years. The latest is the Constellation Ball, debuted in November 2025 as the ninth and largest iteration. The ball measures 12.5 feet in diameter and weighs 12,350 lbs. It features 5,280 handcrafted Waterford crystals, LED lights and modern technology like a real-time audio system.
Comprised of different-sized circular crystals, the Constellation Ball marks a departure from the triangular shapes designed for the Millennium Ball in 1999.
Each crystal disk features a unique pattern that expresses 2025's theme of "Infinite Joy, Infinite Light, Infinite Beginnings" and is meant to embody the balance between reflection and renewal.
"The Times Square ball is more than just an icon of celebration. It's a canvas for artistry and light. Each Waterford crystal disc is meticulously crafted to capture and reflect brilliance, creating a spectacle that transforms precision into poetry," Emily Brophy, senior brand activation manager and global brand ambassador for Waterford, told PEOPLE exclusively in October 2025.
What New Year’s Eve specials can I stream?
Roy Rochlin/Getty
Ryan Seacrest hosts 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve' in Times Square in N.Y.C. on Dec. 31, 2021.
Several New Year's Eve TV specials are scheduled for the 2026 countdown.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest has been on the air since 1973. Seacrest — who will be joined for the third time by Rita Ora in Times Square — is hosting for the 21st time. (He took over as the main host after Clark died in 2012.) The show will feature multiple performances, including headliner Diana Ross, Mariah Carey and the singing voices of KPop Demon Hunter's HUNTR/X, Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami. The broadcast is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and will air the next day on Hulu.
CNN's New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen is also back for its ninth year. Viewers can expect lots of comical commentary from the two best friends, as well as appearances by Robyn, Shakira and Bryan Adams, among others. The show will air at 8 p.m. ET on CNN and its mobile app, as well as stream exclusively for the first time on CNN's new streaming subscription platform, CNN All Access, and connected Smart TV apps.
Kreischer and HARDY will host this year's New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash from Nashville, with social media star Haley Baylee (a.k.a. Haley Kalil) joining as a correspondent in N.Y.C. Headlining performers include Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman. The five-hour extravaganza will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
The Jonas Brothers are putting on a special two-hour countdown New Year's Eve celebration. They will perform early hits and songs off their latest album, Greetings From Your Hometown, live at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The concert starts at 10 p.m. ET and will stream exclusively on Samsung TV Plus.
Nexstar will air a syndicated telecast featuring live musical performances by classic rock bands like Styx and Foreigner, as well as fireworks, and be filmed from four cities: N.Y.C., Dallas, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The telecast will air across 138 Nexstar-owned and partner stations in 116 markets, beginning at 8 p.m. PT.
What time is the New Year’s Eve ball drop?
Alexi Rosenfeld/ Getty
People celebrate New Year's Eve in N.Y.C.'s Times Square as confetti falls on Jan. 1, 2023.
The New Year's Eve ball will start its 60-second descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square at exactly 11:59 p.m. ET, per the Times Square official website.
Where can I watch the New Year’s Eve ball drop for free?
CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty
The "2026" numerals are displayed after an illumination ceremony in Times Square in N.Y.C. on Dec. 18, 2025.
There are several ways to watch the New Year's Eve ball drop for free. The Times Square official website offers commercial-free coverage of the ball drop and the festivities leading up to the main event, starting at 6 p.m. ET.
Times Square's Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts will also live-stream the ball drop.
Those with a subscription to YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, DirecTV or Fubo can also watch the annual tradition on any of those streaming platforms.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
