2026 facts for kids

2026 (MMXXVI) is the current year, and is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2026th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 26th year of the 3rd millennium, the 26th year of the 21st century, and the 7th year of the 2020s decade. The year 2026 has been a time of significant global events. Early in the year, there were conflicts in the Americas and the Middle East. In January, the United States conducted a military operation in Venezuela, which led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. This was followed by a blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, which affected Cuba. In Syria, the government's actions led to the Syrian Democratic Forces joining the Syrian Army. In Yemen, the government's efforts led to the end of the Southern Transitional Council. In February, Pakistan and Afghanistan entered into a conflict. Later in February, a conflict began between Iran, the United States, and Israel. This conflict caused economic difficulties and fuel shortages, and it led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a naval blockade until June.

American businessman Elon Musk made history in June. He became the first person to have a verified net worth of over $1 trillion. This happened after his company, SpaceX, offered its shares to the public for the first time.

In politics, a shift towards more conservative governments was seen in Latin America. Right-wing parties won elections in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Peru. In Europe, far-right parties continued to gain support in the United Kingdom and across the European Union. However, in Hungary, the long-ruling right-wing government lost power. Portugal also elected a center-left leader in its presidential election.

In science and technology, a major highlight was NASA's Artemis II mission. This mission flew around the Moon, marking the first time humans traveled beyond low Earth orbit since 1972. It also sent the first woman, Black man, and non-American astronaut on such a journey. Artificial intelligence continued to advance, with a focus on making models bigger and finding more ways to use them in daily life. While some projects, like OpenAI's Sora, were stopped, the development of generative AI, including tools that create videos from text, kept moving forward.

Sports saw exciting events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This was the first World Cup hosted by three nations (United States, Mexico, and Canada) and the first to include 48 teams. It also set a new record for attendance. The 2026 Winter Olympics were also historic, being the first to be officially co-hosted by two cities (Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy).

In health, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Key Events of 2026

January Highlights

• January 1
  • Bulgaria adopted the euro, becoming the 21st country to use the currency.
  • Cyprus began its term as President of the Council of the European Union.
  • A fire occurred at a bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
• January 2 – Equatorial Guinea moved its capital from Malabo to Ciudad de la Paz.
• January 3 – The United States conducted a military operation in Venezuela, leading to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
• January 5 – Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as the acting president of Venezuela.
• January 6 – The 2025 Jubilee ended.
• January 6 – Fighting began between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish armed group Syrian Democratic Forces.
• January 8 – Thongloun Sisoulith was re-elected as the leader of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
• January 9 – The Southern Transitional Council announced its dissolution after losing territory.
• January 11 – The 2026 Beninese parliamentary election was held.
• January 14 – Denmark launched Operation Arctic Endurance, sending troops to Greenland in response to US President Donald Trump's statements about the island.
• January 18 – Two trains derailed in Adamuz, southern Spain, causing many injuries.
• January 19–23 – The 56th World Economic Forum took place in Davos, Switzerland.
• January 20 – The Syrian transitional government gained control of most of the territory held by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
• January 22
  • The United States officially left the World Health Organization.
• January 23
  • Tô Lâm was re-elected as the leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
  • Iliana Iotova became the first female President of Bulgaria.
• January 24 – Major landslides occurred in West Java, Indonesia.
• January 25 – The 2025–26 Myanmar general election was held, with the pro-military party winning many seats.
• January 26 – The body of an Israeli hostage was recovered from Gaza, ending a hostage situation.
• January 27
  • The India–European Union Free Trade Agreement was signed, removing taxes on many products and services.
  • Nvidia shares dropped significantly, resulting in a large financial loss.
• January 28
  • Sarah Mullally became the first female Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England.
  • Mine collapses occurred at the Rubaya coltan mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Storm Kristin caused significant damage in Portugal and Spain.
• January 29
  • Clashes occurred in the Tigray region of Ethiopia between local fighters and Federal Forces.
  • Fighting occurred in Balochistan, Pakistan, between the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Pakistani armed forces.

February Highlights

• February 1 – Laura Fernández Delgado was elected president of Costa Rica.
• February 5 – The New START treaty, which limited strategic nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia, expired.
• February 6–22 – The 2026 Winter Olympics were held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
• February 7
  • The 2026 Men's T20 World Cup began in India and Sri Lanka.
  • The Transitional Presidential Council of Haiti was dissolved, transferring power to acting prime minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
• February 8
  • Sanae Takaichi won the 2026 Japanese general election, securing many seats in the House of Representatives.
  • The 2026 Thai general election and a constitutional referendum were held.
  • António José Seguro was elected President of Portugal.
• February 11 – Mia Mottley won the 2026 Barbadian general election.
• February 12 – The 2026 Bangladeshi general election and a constitutional referendum were held.
• February 13–15 – The 62nd Munich Security Conference took place.
• February 17 – José Jerí was removed from his position as President of Peru by the Congress. He was succeeded by José María Balcázar.
• February 16–21 – The AI Impact Summit took place in New Delhi, India.
• February 22
  • Kim Jong Un was re-elected as the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea.
  • The 2026 Laotian parliamentary election was held.
• February 23 – Rob Jetten was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• February 26 – Pakistan declared a conflict against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
• February 27 – Floods and landslides occurred in the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
• February 28 – A conflict began between Israel, the United States, and Iran. This led to retaliatory actions and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

March Highlights

• March 2 – Hezbollah launched strikes against Israel.
• March 4 – The United States sank an Iranian warship, the IRIS Dena, in the Indian Ocean.
• March 5 – The Rastriya Swatantra Party won the 2026 Nepalese general election.
• March 5–17 – The 2026 World Baseball Classic was held in Japan and the United States.
• March 6–15 – The 2026 Winter Paralympics were held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
• March 6–7 – Floods occurred across Kenya.
• March 8
  • Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as the third Supreme Leader of Iran.
  • President Gustavo Petro's party won many seats in the 2026 Colombian parliamentary election.
  • India won its third title in the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup final against New Zealand.
• March 13
  • The United States Air Force conducted a large bombing raid on Kharg Island, an important oil export hub in Iran.
  • The leader of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, confirmed talks with the Trump administration to address an oil blockade.
• March 15
  • A new Constitution of Kazakhstan was accepted.
  • The Workers' Party of Korea won many seats in the 2026 North Korean parliamentary election.
  • The Communist Party of Vietnam won almost all seats in the 2026 Vietnamese legislative election.
  • Denis Sassou Nguesso was re-elected as President of the Republic of the Congo.
• March 20–22 – The 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships were held in Toruń, Poland.
• March 22 – Robert Golob's party won many seats in the 2026 Slovenian parliamentary election.
• March 22–23 – Voters in Italy rejected a government-backed constitutional reform.
• March 23 – A Colombian Air Force plane crashed near Puerto Leguízamo, Colombia.
• March 24
  • OpenAI announced that its Sora app and API would be shutting down.
  • The coalition led by Mette Frederiksen lost its majority in the 2026 Danish general election.
  • Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that ships not connected to the United States or Israel could pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

April Highlights

• The month of April 2026 was rated as the third-warmest April since weather records began in 1850.
• April 1 – NASA launched the Artemis II mission, a lunar flyby, marking the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since 1972.
• April 6 – The crew of Artemis II broke the record for the furthest humans have ever been from Earth.
• April 7
  • Tô Lâm was elected as the new president of Vietnam.
  • The United States and Iran agreed on a two-week ceasefire in their conflict.
• April 8 – Israel launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon, targeting infrastructure.
• April 10
  • Ismaïl Omar Guelleh was re-elected as President of Djibouti.
  • The crew of Artemis II successfully returned to Earth, splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
• April 11 – The Iraqi Parliament elected Nizar Amidi as the new President of Iraq.
• April 12
  • Viktor Orbán lost re-election in the 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election, ending 16 years of his party's rule.
  • Romuald Wadagni won the 2026 Beninese presidential election.
• April 13 – A blockade of Iranian ports by the United States took effect.
• April 16 – A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect, arranged by the United States.
• April 19 – The Progressive Bulgaria coalition won the 2026 Bulgarian parliamentary election.
• April 21 – US President Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire with Iran.
• April 25 – Several large-scale attacks occurred in Mali, leading to the capture of some cities.

May Highlights

• May 1 – The United Arab Emirates left OPEC, an organization of oil-producing countries.
• May 4
  • An explosion occurred at a fireworks factory in Liuyang, China.
  • Drone attacks occurred in Khartoum, Sudan, during the civil conflict.
• May 12 – Philip Davis won a second term as Prime Minister of the Bahamas.
• May 12–16 – The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 was held in Vienna, Austria. Bulgarian contestant Dara won the contest.
• May 16 – The World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
• May 17 – Ulisses Correia e Silva lost re-election in the 2026 Cape Verdean parliamentary election.
• May 22
  • Record-breaking heatwaves began in Europe.
  • A gas explosion occurred at a coal mine in Shanxi, China.
• May 24 – The Democratic Rally party won many seats in the 2026 Cypriot legislative election.
• May 30 – The Labour Party won its fourth consecutive election in Malta.
• May 31
  • Parties supporting President Mamady Doumbouya won the 2026 Guinean parliamentary election.
  • Major protests, known as the Flamingo Revolution, erupted in Albania over a proposed development and government dissatisfaction.

June Highlights

• June 1 – The Prosperity Party won re-election in the 2026 Ethiopian general election.
• June 6 – A series of demonstrations took place in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, India.
• June 7
  • The Civil Contract party won re-election in the 2026 Armenian parliamentary election.
  • Vetëvendosje won many seats in the 2026 Kosovan parliamentary election.
  • Keiko Fujimori won the presidential runoff in the 2026 Peruvian general election.
• June 8 – A powerful earthquake struck the Philippines, causing widespread damage.
• June 9 – Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to revive the 19th-century Hejaz railway.
• June 10 – The blessing ceremony of the Sagrada Família's tallest tower was held in Barcelona, Spain.
• June 11 – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared the start of an El Niño event.
• June 11 – July 19 – The 2026 FIFA World Cup was held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and was won by Spain.
• June 12 – Elon Musk became the first US dollar trillionaire after the initial public offering of SpaceX.
• June 12 – July 5 – The 2026 Women's T20 World Cup was held in England and Wales, and was won by Australia.
• June 13–14 – The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans was held in Le Mans, France.
• June 14 – A mid-air collision between two helicopters occurred in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• June 15–17 – The United States and Iran announced and signed the Islamabad Memorandum, an agreement to end their conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and begin negotiations.
• June 21 – Abelardo de la Espriella won the 2026 Colombian presidential election.
• June 22 – Keir Starmer announced his resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
• June 24 – Two powerful earthquakes shook western Venezuela, causing widespread damage.

July Highlights

• July 1 – Members of the Society of Saint Pius X consecrated bishops against orders, leading to a religious disagreement.
• July 2 – The 2026 Algerian parliamentary election was held.
• July 3–9 – The state funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader was held.
• July 4–18 – The first Nations Championship – Southern Hemisphere Series, a rugby union tournament, was held.
• July 6 – Hamas announced changes to its civil administration.
• July 7 – The International Olympic Committee lifted the ban on the Russian Olympic Committee.
• July 7–8 – The 2026 Ankara NATO summit was held in Ankara, Turkey.
• July 8 – The agreement between the United States and Iran broke down, leading to renewed actions.
• July 12 – A fire occurred at a live-music venue in Bangkok, Thailand.
• July 18 – The world record for the mile run was broken by British runner Josh Kerr.
• July 19
  • Carlos Vila Nova was reelected as President of São Tomé and Príncipe.
  • Spain defeated Argentina to win its second FIFA World Cup title.
• July 20
  • Andy Burnham was appointed as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
  • The Houthis announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.
  • Daniel Ortega announced an end to elections within Nicaragua.
• July 22–July 30 – Wildfires occurred in France, Portugal, and Spain, causing many people to evacuate.
• July 23–August 2 – The 2026 Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow, Scotland.
• July 28 – An earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan.
• July 30
  • Saudi Arabia announced a 14-nation military alliance to protect shipping routes.
  • A border incident occurred between Morocco and Spain at Ceuta, involving many people crossing the border.

August Highlights

• August 2
  • Poland won the 2026 FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League.
  • Bartłomiej Kubkowski became the first person to swim the Baltic Sea.

Upcoming Events

• August 13 – The 2026 Zambian general election is scheduled.
• August 23 – The 2026 Kazakh legislative election is scheduled.
• September 2 – The 2026 Estonian presidential election is scheduled.
• September 4–13 – The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup is scheduled to be held in Berlin, Germany.
• September 5–27 – The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup is scheduled to be held in Poland.
• September 8 – The Eighty-First session of the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled.
• September 13 – The 2026 Swedish general election is scheduled.
• September 18–20 – The 2026 Russian legislative election is scheduled.
• September 19–October 4 – The 2026 Asian Games are scheduled to take place in Japan.
• September 23 – The 2026 Moroccan general election is scheduled.
• September 27 – The 2026 São Toméan parliamentary election is scheduled.
• October 3 – The 2026 Latvian parliamentary election will be held by this date.
• October 4
  • The 2026 Brazilian general election is scheduled.
  • The 2026 Bosnian general election is scheduled.
• October 24 – The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is scheduled to be held in Attard, Malta.
• October 25 – The 2026 Bulgarian presidential election is scheduled.
• October 27 – The 2026 Israeli legislative election is scheduled.
• October 31–November 13 – The 2026 Summer Youth Olympics will be held in Dakar, Senegal.
• November 3 – The 2026 United States elections will be held.
• November 7 – The 2026 New Zealand general election is scheduled.
• November 10–12 – The 2026 ASEAN Summit is scheduled to be held in the Philippines.
• November 14 – The first Eurovision Song Contest Asia is scheduled to be held in Bangkok, Thailand.
• November 15 – The 2026 Cape Verdean presidential election is scheduled.
• November 28 – The 2026 Palestinian legislative election is scheduled.
• December 3–20 – The 2026 European Women's Handball Championship is scheduled to be held in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey.
• December 5 – The 2026 Gambian presidential election is scheduled.
• December 6 – The 2026 Guinea-Bissau general election is scheduled.
• December 6 – The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled to be held.
• December 13 – The 2026 Haitian general election is scheduled.
• December 22 – The 2026 South Sudanese general election is scheduled.

Images for kids

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  A bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, where a fire occurred on January 1.

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  A map showing areas affected by US actions in Venezuela in January.

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  Officials inspecting the site of a train derailment in Adamuz, Spain, on January 18.

• 

  Flooding on the banks of the Paraibuna River in Brazil on February 26.

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  A tribute at the Iranian Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, following the start of the Iran conflict on February 28.

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  Firefighters at the scene of a fireworks factory explosion in Liuyang, China, on May 4.

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  Personnel inspecting a collapsed building in General Santos, Philippines, after an earthquake on June 8.

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  CCTV footage of a helicopter falling after a mid-air collision in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 14.

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  Venezuelan rescue teams at damaged buildings in La Guaira after earthquakes in June.

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  Aftermath of actions in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 8.

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  Personnel inspecting a damaged house after an earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan.

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  Security footage of people returning to Morocco following a border incident with Spain at Ceuta.

See also

In Spanish: 2026 para niños