Miss World 2026 was the 73rd Miss World pageant, held at the April 2nd Square in Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa, Vietnam, on 5 September 2026. The final telecast was presented by the winner of Miss World 2016, Stephanie Del Valle, and Mister World 2024, Daniel Mejía.
Joheirry Mola of the Dominican Republic won the competition, succeeding Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand. Her victory marked the second title for her country, following Mariasela Álvarez in 1982. Elisabeth Reynés of Spain and Taanusiya Chetty of Malaysia finished second and third, respectively.
Contestants from 111 countries competed for the title. The competition began on 9 August with fast-track events held in several locations in Vietnam leading up to the finals.
Location and schedule On 25 March 2026, the Miss World Organization announced its selection of Vietnam as the host country for the 73rd Miss World pageant. This was the first time the pageant was held in Vietnam. Hoàng Nhật Nam, director of Miss World Vietnam confirmed the selection soon thereafter. Four days later, during the finals of Miss World Vietnam 2025, the pageant's chairwoman Julia Morley, and incumbent titleholder Suchata Chuangsri announced that the competition will begin on 9 August 2026, with the finals taking place on 5 September.
On 14 May 2026, the competition signed a hosting agreement with locations in Hải Phòng and Vũng Tàu. Nha Trang is scheduled to host the final week of events and the final competition from 29 August to 5 September.
Selection of participants Contestants from 111 countries and territories competed in the edition. They were formally introduced on 12 August 2026, during an opening ceremony at the Hạ Long Marina Square in Hạ Long.
Replacements Leading up to the opening ceremony, a number of national franchises replaced their delegates: Ashma Kumari of Nepal was replaced by her national successor Luna Luitel; Lauryane Dilo of Guadeloupe was replaced by Annaëlle Ibo; Rongfei Gan of China was also replaced by Yifei Dong; and Marigona Musshabani of Kosovo was replaced by Blair Isufi.
A number of national titleholders also withdrew from this edition and were replaced, including Soriya Khorn of Cambodia, who was replaced by Leakena In; and Carly Wilson of the Northern Ireland, who withdrew from the pageant due to health issues, being replaced by her first runner-up Amelie Moore. Jade Glab of the United States deferred her participation to the next edition and was replaced by her first runner-up, Mary Sickler.
Debuts, returns, and withdrawals This contest had the debuts of Eritrea, French Guiana, the Maldives, Mozambique and Pakistan. Returning countries included Malawi which last took part in 2012; Kosovo in 2014; the Cook Islands and Laos in 2019; The Bahamas in 2021; and Guinea-Bissau, Morocco, South Korea and Tanzania in 2023.
Monika Harutjunjan of Armenia, Samantha Quenedit of Ecuador, and Nadiratou Afolabi of Togo withdrew from the competition. Mari-Ann Rõuk of Estonia stepped down to focus on her studies and was replaced by her first runner-up, Henel Vare. However, Vare also withdrew.
Madagascar withdrew from the competition as their national organization failed to select a contestant, organize a national pageant, or retain the franchise. Bhutan was also withdrew following the postponement of Miss Bhutan 2026.
Results Placements Placement Contestant Miss World 2026 – Joheirry Mola 1st Runner-Up – Elisabeth Reynés 2nd Runner-Up – Taanusiya Chetty Top 6 – Snit Tewoldemedhin – Romanda Hombir – Bảo Ngọc Lê Nguyễn Top 12 – Gabriela Botelho – Indira Ampiot – Tamunosoye Karibi-George – Asia Rose Simpson – Adah Mushibi – Brunette Makanyiso Top 20 – Alina Akselrad – Olga Lombardo – Yifei Dong – Tiarē Henry-Anguna – Julia Horne – Trizah Muhenje Akala – Josiane Sciotti – Fatoumata Diop – Valeriia Lisovska – Mary Sickler Top 40 – Faith Edgar – Leakena In – Angelina Fan – Grace Richardson – Audrey Ho-Wen-Tsaï – Julia Kühnle – Nikita Porwal – Audrey Bianca – Perla Harb – Ireen Navicha – Arcenia Quehá – Maja Todd – Suil Pagán – Eilidh MacDonald – Latricia Ian Sawe – Georgia-Lee Gill – Sıla Saraydemir – Helena Hawke Notes
Continental Queens of Beauty Following the announcement of the Dominican Republic as the winner, the top-ranking delegates from each continent and selected regions were conferred the title of continental queen. Continent/Region Contestant Africa – Romanda Hombir Americas – Gabriela Botelho Asia – Taanusiya Chetty Caribbean – Georgia-Lee Gill Europe – Elisabeth Reynés Oceania – Tiarē Henry-Anguna
World Designer Awards Four continental winners of the World Designer Award were named on 27 August, following the Top Model Challenge. Continent Contestant Africa – Shreeya Bokhoree Americas and Caribbean – Angelina Fan Asia and Oceania – Yifei Dong Europe – Indira Ampiot
Pageant
Format For the competition, the 111 contestants are divided into four continental groups: Africa, Americas and Caribbean, Asia and Oceania, and Europe. Together, the fast-track challenges and selection committee select ten delegates from each group to advance to the Top 40 quarterfinals. Five delegates from each group, including fast-track winners and finalists, then advance to the Top 20. Afterward, they are trimmed down to 12, composed of the top two finalists per continental group and the finalists for Beauty With a Purpose and People's Choice, to face the first question-and-answer round. The Top 6 finalists are composed of the top-performing candidates per continental group and the winners of the latter two events, at which point the winner and her two runners-up are named after a final question-and-answer portion.
Board of judges The board of judges evaluated the 111 contestants and selected the semifinalists qualifying for the Top 40 by judges' choice. They included: Karolina Bielawska – Miss World 2021 from Poland Hà Kiều Anh – Vietnamese actress and Miss Vietnam 1992 Wilnelia Merced – Miss World 1975 from Puerto Rico Julia Morley – English chairwoman and chief executive officer of the Miss World Organization Linda Pétursdóttir – Miss World 1988 from Iceland Phạm Kim Dung – Vietnamese chairwoman of the Miss World Vietnam organization Krystyna Pyszková – Miss World 2023 from the Czech Republic
Broadcast The finals show was broadcast live on YouTube. Miss World 2016, Stephanie Del Valle, and Mister World 2024, Daniel Mejía, presented the competition. The show integrated showcases of traditional Vietnamese attire in the program.
Fast-track events
As part of the competition's format, 20 contestants secured placements in the different stages of the competition by winning fast-track challenges that were held leading up to the finals, evaluating the contestants in several categories. Legend
Beauty With a Purpose On 31 August, the contestants presented their Beauty With a Purpose social service projects. Four continental winners were named, each securing a placement in the Top 40. Among them, two secured a place in the Top 12, with the overall winner securing a place in the Top 6.
PlacementContinentContestant Winner Asia and Oceania – Taanusiya Chetty ✔ Runner-Up Africa – Brunette Makanyiso ✔ Top 4(Continental Winners) Americas and Caribbean – Faith Edgar ✔ Europe – Elisabeth Reynés ✔ Top 24(Continental Qualifiers) Africa – Rumzia Sule – Trizah Muhenje Akala – Ireen Navicha – Mariyam Konneh – Elle Muhoza Americas and Caribbean – Audrey Ho-Wen-Tsaï – Andrea Ortiz – Marie Kemlyne Félix – Ayelén Pérez – Mística Núñez Asia and Oceania – Samanzar Sayeed – Luna Luitel – Asia Rose Simpson – Prathibha Liyanarachchi – Bảo Ngọc Lê Nguyễn Europe – Ema Helena Vičar – Josephine Bøttger – Indira Ampiot – Vitória Babinetchi – Valeriia Lisovska
Head-to-Head Challenge On 22 and 24 August, the Head to Head Challenge was held at the Khanh Hoa Children's Palace in Nha Trang, where all contestants introduced themselves and their projects. Five shortlisted contestants from each continental group competed in the second round, from which the four continental winners were determined, each automatically advancing to the Top 40. The four continental winners then competed in the final round, from which the overall challenge winner is determined, securing them a place in the Top 20.
PlacementContinentContestant WinnerAsia and Oceania – Asia Rose Simpson ✔Top 4(Continental Winners)Africa – Romanda Hombir ✔Americas and Caribbean – Georgia-Lee Gill ✔Europe – Julia Kühnle ✔Top 20(Continental Qualifiers)Africa – Snit Tewoldemedhin – Trizah Muhenje Akala – Tamunosoye Karibi-George – Adah MushibiAmericas and Caribbean – Marechan Burrows – Vanessa Kraljevic – Laurence Fibleuil – Mary SicklerAsia and Oceania – Tiarē Henry-Anguna – Mariyam Eema Mohamed – Min-seo Cha – Bảo Ngọc Lê NguyễnEurope – Julia Horne – Eilidh MacDonald – Elisabeth Reynés – Helena Hawke
Multimedia Challenge The Multimedia Challenge was held through the Miss World app, where the contestants documented their stint in the competition. The top 20 finalists were announced on 1 September through the pageant's social media accounts. The four continental winners secured a place in the Top 40, with the overall winner securing a place in the Top 20.https://www.instagram.com/p/DcvzENQJODS/
PlacementContinentContestant WinnerAfrica – Adah Mushibi ✔Top 4(Continental Winners)Americas and Caribbean – Audrey Ho-Wen-Tsaï ✔Asia and Oceania – Audrey Bianca ✔Europe – Julia Kühnle ✔Top 20(Continental Qualifiers)Africa – Trizah Muhenje Akala – Elly Aron – Latricia Ian Sawe – Elle MuhozaAmericas and Caribbean – Alina Akselrad – Ignacia Fernández – Andrea Romero – Joheirry MolaAsia and Oceania – Mongkoutphet Harnsana – Taanusiya Chetty – Chloe Robinson – Kanteera TechaphattanakulEurope – Olga Lombardo – Julia Horne – Eilidh MacDonald – Elisabeth Reynés
People's Choice Award The public voted for the People's Choice Award through the voting platform Eventista. In the first round, four continental winners secured a place in the Top 40. Voting continues worldwide in the second round to determine the two contestants advancing to the Top 12 and the winner among them advancing to the Top 6.
Worldwide round Placement Contestant Winner – Snit Tewoldemedhin ✔ Runner-Up – Tamunosoye Karibi-George ✔
Continental round ContinentContestant Africa – Snit Tewoldemedhin ✔ Americas and Caribbean – Angelina Fan ✔ Asia and Oceania – Leakena In ✔ Europe – Julia Horne ✔
Sports Challenge The Sports Challenge was held at the Dream Dragon Resort in Hải Phòng on 19 August 2026. The winner automatically advanced to the Top 40.
PlacementContestant Winner – Suil Pagán ✔ 2nd place – Amelie Moore 3rd place – Olivija Spanovskis Top 24 – Alba Tirtja – Olga Lombardo – Ruth Thomas – Lishantely Jennie – Adriana Rivas – Grace Richardson – María de los Ángeles Ndong – Kiia Huutoniemi – Julia Kühnle – Caoimhe Kenny – Trizah Muhenje Akala – Cassandra García – Charlotte Boonstra – Eva Velichkovska – Madeline Miller – Ayelén Pérez – Asia Rose Simpson – Vitória Babinetchi – Amadea Zupan – Elisabeth Reynés – Prathibha Liyanarachchi
Talent Challenge In the Talent Challenge, continental qualifier contestants will showcase their skills in music, dance, and art. The winner of the segment advanced to the Top 40.
PlacementContestant Winner – Grace Richardson ✔ 2nd place – Annaëlle Ibo 3rd place – Asia Rose SimpsonTop 23 – Lana Jahić – Ignacia Fernández – Yifei Dong – Andrea Romero – Tiarē Henry-Anguna – Josephine Bøttger – Snit Tewoldemedhin – Ruth Yirgalem – Julia Horne – Andrea Ortiz – Caoimhe Kenny – Luna Luitel – Tamunosoye Karibi-George – Amelie Moore – Ayelén Pérez – Maja Todd – Vitória Babinetchi – Prathibha Liyanarachchi – Bảo Ngọc Lê Nguyễn – Adah Mushibi
Top Model Challenge