The highs and lows of the Miss World 2026 pageant
The world has crowned its newest queen—Joheirry Mola Dominguez of Dominican Republic is Miss World 2026.
The coronation night was held on Sept. 5 at April 2nd Square, a large open-air beachfront venue in the coastal city of Nha Tran, Vietnam. Delegates from 111 countries and territories competed for the blue crown, eventually getting whittled down to 20, then 12, six, and then the final Top 3.
Malaysia's Taanusiya Chetty placed third, while Spain's Elisabeth Reynés Alabern landed in second. Philippines' Asia Rose Simpson, meanwhile, finished in the Top 12 of the competition.
Recall some of the good and not-so-good moments that made the night a long showcase of diversity and national pride.
LOW: Long waits between segments
There was considerable waiting time even before the evening's festivities began. Since the coronation night was held in an open-air venue, there was nowhere for the audience to seek shelter when heavy rain poured, which is why production had to delay the start of the program. Clips showed audience members under umbrellas and wearing raincoats.
That was understandable, but advertising commercials also added to the length of the program, which stretched to almost four hours. Between segments, commercials ran for about three to four minutes.
HIGH: A focus on diversity
With 111 delegates from all over the world, the Miss World 2026 pageant was a model of diversity. The candidates were grouped according to continental regions, which made sure that each region was well-represented.
Having the queens who didn't make the Top 12 sit by their flags was an excellent way of providing the audience a visual representation of the truly worldwide reach of the pageant.
LOW: Not enough focus on evening gowns
With 111 candidates to introduce, it was understandable that the production team felt the need to move things along quickly. But the first segment where the delegates walked the stage in their gowns appeared too rushed. They were introduced in pairs, and some didn't even have time to pause for more than two seconds to properly show off their evening gowns.
The same happened for the Top 20 candidates. Instead of having them walk individually to showcase their gowns, they walked onstage holding hands as groups of five. There was no opportunity for the audience, both at the venue and watching remotely, to get a full view of each of the gowns.
HIGH: Cultural performances
As the host country, Vietnam took every opportunity to showcase its vibrant culture, from the traditional to the modern. One segment had dancers perform in ao dai, which is Vietnam's national dress characterized by a form-fitting tunic with thigh-high side slits over trousers. There was also a ballad performance, as well as an even more modern band showcase, all of which reflect Vietnam's dynamism.
LOW: Numerous categories; abrupt selection of finalists
Instead of one straightforward selection process, the Miss World candidates were picked using various categories, such as judges' choice and people's choice, which made it a little confusing to follow. Also, since there were four continental regions to consider, announcing the winners felt too rushed and arbitrary.
HIGH: Sticking to tradition
Miss World 2025 Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand said it in her farewell speech: It was an honor to be part of a legacy where the crown passed from one winner to the next. Unlike in other pageants, the passing of the Miss World crown is traditionally more ceremonial, which was perfectly demonstrated by Chuangsri and her successor, Dominguez.
Although the night was beset with delays, it couldn't be denied that the diversity displayed in the Miss World 2026 pageant was refreshing to see. Congratulations, Miss World 2026 Joheirry Mola Dominguez.
