Miss World 2026 Finale Vietnam

Last year, India’s Nandini Gupta reached the top 20 in the competition. However, she could not make it to the top 8. Nandini had won the Top Model title. In the finale, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood was presented with the Miss World Humanitarian Award for his social work. He was also part of the jury and asked the final question to Opal. Jacqueline Fernandez and Ishaan Khatter performed at the finale.

A look at the history of Miss World-

The first Miss World was a bikini contest, not a beauty pageant

In 1951, English TV host Eric Morley organized a bikini contest to promote bikinis during the Festival of Britain celebrations. Its purpose was to attract a crowd. It was a one-of-a-kind contest in which 27 models from various countries were to walk the ramp in bikinis. The foreign media named it Miss World. Its first winner was Kerstin ‘Kiki’ Hakansson from Sweden. She wore a bikini during the crowning.

The first Miss World ceremony (bikini contest) was held in London. After this, the ceremony continued to be held in London for the next 38 years.

As soon as this contest was broadcast on television, the Pope at that time criticized it heavily. He considered it against religion and society. Many countries also refused to send their contestants. This bikini contest made headlines due to the controversies.

Due to its popularity, Eric Morley registered this contest under the name Miss World and made it an annual competition.

To avoid controversies, contestants in Miss World 1952 were made to wear swimsuits instead of bikinis.

Also read these controversies related to Miss World-

1970- Bomb thrown on stage during the finale

On November 20, 1970, the Miss World finale was taking place at the Royal Albert Hall in London, when suddenly 60 feminist protesters reached there and started throwing flour bombs on the stage. The show’s host panicked, and the ceremony was halted.

They were angry about the objectification of women in the contest. Even before this, a British terrorist group had attacked a BBC broadcast van parked outside the hall with a bomb before the ceremony began. Fortunately, there were no casualties in either of the explosions.

The ceremony was halted for a while due to bomb blasts; however, it was resumed after the situation was brought under control.

1970 – Protests erupted when a Black woman became Miss World

In 1970, Jennifer Hosten from the Caribbean nation of Grenada became the first Black woman to win Miss World. After the winner was announced, people began protesting against the pageant. The broadcast partner, BBC, also received several letters opposing the result.

It was later revealed that Grenada’s Prime Minister, Sir Eric Gairy, was on the jury. Miss Sweden had received the most votes; however, Jennifer Hosten was declared the winner under pressure from the Prime Minister of Grenada.

Apart from Jennifer Hosten, 4 Black women have won the Miss World title so far.

1973- Miss World title stripped after affair came to light

In 1973, Marjorie Wallace became the first US contestant to win the Miss World title. However, after her various affairs and kissing photos surfaced, she was stripped of the Miss World title 104 days after her crowning.

Right after winning Miss World, Marjorie’s name was linked with singer Tom Jones and football star George Best.

1980- Germany’s Miss World had to return her crown after doing a nude photoshoot

Gabriella Brum of Germany, the 1980 Miss World winner, returned her crown claiming that her boyfriend objected to it. However, it was later revealed that she was stripped of the title after her nude photos were published in a magazine.

2000- When the finale was scheduled in Nigeria, many countries boycotted the contest

Miss World 2000 was supposed to be held in Nigeria, but contestants from several European countries boycotted the pageant. Before the ceremony could begin, religious riots broke out in the Nigerian city of Kaduna, in which 200 people were killed. Eventually, the ceremony was held in London. Due to the change in venue, the contestants who had left the pageant also participated in it.

2020- Miss World 2020 was cancelled due to Corona.

2021- 23 contestants tested COVID positive on the day of the finale

Miss World 2021 was scheduled to take place in Puerto Rico on December 16, 2021. Just one day before the ceremony, 17 contestants and technicians tested positive for COVID. They were quarantined and barred from attending the finale. On the day of the ceremony, 23 contestants were found to be COVID positive, following which Miss World 2021 was postponed. Subsequently, Miss World 2021 was held the following year in 2022.

Miss England accused organizers before the finale, left the contest

2025 – Miss World 2025 was held in Hyderabad, India. However, just a few days before the finale, Miss England Milla Magee left the pageant, stating that the organizers were pressuring her to entertain financiers. She said that she was made to feel like a prostitute at the pageant.

Milla Magee is the first plus-size model to win Miss England.

There was a controversy over Priyanka Chopra’s win

Priyanka Chopra won the Miss World title in the year 2000, defeating contestants from 108 countries. 22 years after her win, her co-contestant Miss Barbados Leilani McConney alleged that Miss World 2000 was fixed and that Priyanka was given special treatment. Posting a video on YouTube, Leilani said that the sponsor that year was the Indian cable station Zee TV. In such a situation, Priyanka Chopra’s gown was found to be better than the other contestants.

Everyone wore a bikini in the swimsuit round, but Priyanka was given a sarong. At that time, she used to apply a skin-toning cream, which caused spots on her body. She wore the sarong to hide them. She used to get her meals in her room. The organizers discriminated against the other girls, which is why no one liked Priyanka.