Overview
- The live broadcast starts at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, simulcasts across 150+ iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app, and streams on Hulu the next day.
- Chance the Rapper leads the first Central Time midnight countdown from Chicago’s Riverwalk, which is free to the public with designated entry points, security screening, and a 10 p.m. downtown curfew for minors.
- Ryan Seacrest hosts from Times Square with Rita Ora, while Rob Gronkowski and Julianne Hough anchor Las Vegas and Roselyn Sánchez hosts from Puerto Rico.
- Diana Ross headlines Times Square as part of an expanded multi‑city lineup reported at roughly 39–42 acts spanning New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Puerto Rico and additional locations.
- Times Square’s upgraded Constellation Ball, tested ahead of the event, features 5,280 Waterford crystals, modernized LED systems, a 12.5‑foot diameter, and a weight of about 12,350 pounds.