The Dominican Republic’s Joheirry Mola Dominguez has been crowned Miss World 2026, beating contestants from 72 other countries at the grand finale held on Saturday at April 2 Square in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Nigeria’s representative, Tamunosoye Karibi-George, finished among the Top 12.
Dominguez becomes the second woman from the Dominican Republic to win the crown, 44 years after Mariasela Álvarez’s win in 1982. Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern placed first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty took second runner-up and also won the Beauty with a Purpose award.
The six finalists were Dominguez, Reynés Alabern, Chetty, Vietnam’s Lê Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc, South Africa’s Romanda Hombir and Eritrea’s Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin.
Karibi-George, 26, from Port Harcourt, represented Bayelsa State before being crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 in June at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. Her run in Vietnam began with a win at the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest’s Africa Top Model contest, which secured her an automatic Top 40 spot.
She advanced through the Top 20 before reaching the Top 12, alongside contestants from Brazil, France, the Philippines, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The 2026 edition featured 111 contestants and marked Vietnam’s first time hosting the pageant, coinciding with its 75th anniversary. Eritrea, French Guiana, Maldives, Mozambique and Pakistan made their debut appearances. The next Miss World contest holds in Tanzania in 2027.
