Technically, 2026 began a few hours ago. Once the Line Islands, Samoa, and Tonga saw the clock strike midnight, the new year had begun. Most of America was asleep at that time, though. So we choose to mark the flipping of the calendar with the descent of a Waterford crystal-encrusted ball in Times Square $SQ.
Of course, as well-known as that event is, not everyone can attend in person (though if you're standing in the Times Square crowd, it sometimes feels like the entire nation is there with you). Avoiding the strangers and surrounding yourself instead with friends (and champagne or Prosecco)? You can stay warm and there are several ways to watch the ball drop — even if you don't happen to be near a television.
Here’s how to livestream the 2025 New Year’s Eve countdown and ball drop into 2026.
What TV channels will air the ball drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve?
Pretty much every network has its own New Year's Eve programming. To watch the free ones, get a good HD antenna and test it in multiple locations in your home to find the most reliable signal well before midnight.
Here are some of the shows that will be ringing in 2025.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest (ABC)
The most well-known of the New Year's Eve broadcasts starts at 9 p.m. ET this year — and will run for five-and-a-half hours. This is the 22nd year Seacrest has been the master of ceremonies for the highest-rated of all New Year’s Eve programming. Not near a TV? You can watch on network’s website, ABC.go.com if you have a cable subscription.
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (CBS)
Country music stars Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman are the headliners on the Tiffany network's fifth annual country music countdown into the New Year. The party starts at 8 p.m. ET and will be simulcast on Paramount $PARA+.
New Year's Eve with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen (CNN)
Expect the champagne to flow once more and the network's most visible anchor to giggle as the night goes on. The show will begin airing at 8 p.m. ET on the network, over CNN.com’s homepage, or via the CNNgo and the CNNgo apps for Apple $AAPL TV, Roku $ROKU, Amazon $AMZN Fire, Chromecast and Android TV. The show will broadcast from Times Square.
Where can I stream the ball drop online for free — even without a cable subscription?
Peacock
NBC’s streaming service is expected to simulcast the network's New Year's Even programming. You'll pay an $8 or $14 monthly charge or $80 for an annual plan. (The service has recently done away with its free trial.)
Disney+
Disney $DIS's bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ does not offer a free trial either, meaning you'll need to pay $17 per month for all three combined (or $30 per month for no ads on Hulu and Disney+).
Hulu with Live TV
This service is going away soon, but at the moment it's still accepting new members, who will pay $83 per month (with ads) or $95 per month without ads.
YouTubeTV
After a free trial, monthly charges of $83 will kick in.
Sling TV
The seven-day trial on this service is no more, but Dish is offering a Day Pass, giving you 24-hours of Live TV for $5.
DirecTV Stream
The streaming arm of DirecTV costs $85 per month and more after the free trial expires.
Fubo TV
Like Hulu, this standalone app is going away. For now, though, you can take advantage of a seven-day trial, after which you'll be looking at monthly charges of $85 and up.
Are there any Webcams where I can watch the ball drop online for free?
There are a number of them, in fact. The best one to watch is hosted by the official Times Square website. You can access that in one of several ways.