Dominican Republic’s Joheirry Mola Wins Miss World 2026

The Dominican Republic’s Joheirry Mola has been crowned Miss World 2026, taking the prestigious title at the grand finale of the 75th anniversary edition of the global beauty pageant in Vietnam.

Mola emerged as the winner ahead of a highly competitive field featuring contestants from more than 100 countries and territories.

Spain’s Elisabeth Reynes finished as the first runner up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty secured the second runner up position.

The final stages of the competition featured a strong international field, with Eritrea, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic, Spain and South Africa making up the final six.

Mola ultimately prevailed to begin her reign as Miss World 2026.

Nigeria’s Soye Karibi George Reaches Top 40

Nigeria’s representative, Tamunosoye Karibi George, finished among the Top 40 contestants after earning an automatic quarterfinal place through the Top Model challenge.

Karibi George represented Bayelsa at the Nigerian national pageant and carried Nigeria’s flag onto the global Miss World stage.

Her progress through the Top Model competition placed her among the contestants who secured a Top 40 position, alongside representatives from countries including the Dominican Republic, Vietnam and France.

Although the Nigerian contestant did not progress beyond the Top 12 her participation strengthened Nigeria’s visibility during the 2026 edition.

Beauty With a Purpose Takes Centre Stage

Beyond the competition itself, Karibi George used the Miss World platform to promote her advocacy initiative, Beyond Labels.

The initiative focuses on inclusion and equal opportunities for people with disabilities and individuals facing mental health challenges.

Her advocacy reflects the growing importance of purpose driven leadership within international pageantry.

For African audiences, her participation also highlights how global platforms can provide opportunities to amplify social causes and connect local initiatives with international audiences.

Eritrea Makes Strong Impact

Eritrea also attracted significant attention during the competition through Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin, who featured prominently in the final stages.

The Eritrean representative was among the contestants advancing into the Top 12 and later the Top 6, giving the country a strong presence at the 75th anniversary celebration.

Her performance added another notable African storyline to an edition that placed considerable emphasis on advocacy, purpose and cultural representation.

Miss World Celebrates 75 Years

The 2026 Miss World competition marked the organisation’s 75th anniversary and brought contestants together across Vietnam for a series of cultural showcases, challenges and social impact activities.

The final week centred on Nha Trang, where the competition culminated on September 5.

The anniversary programme also featured a special Beauty With a Purpose gala in Nha Trang on August 31.

The gala brought members of the Miss World community together to celebrate one of the organisation’s most recognised social impact initiatives.

The 75th anniversary edition therefore extended beyond traditional beauty pageantry, placing greater emphasis on advocacy, cultural exchange and the individual causes represented by contestants.

A New Chapter for Miss World

With Joheirry Mola now wearing the Miss World crown, the Dominican Republic enters a new chapter in the history of the competition.

Her victory also demonstrates the increasingly global nature of international pageantry, where contestants compete not only on presentation and performance but also on communication, advocacy and purpose.

For Africa, the performances of contestants from Nigeria and Eritrea provided important moments of representation on one of the world’s most recognised international stages.

As Mola begins her reign, attention will now turn to how she uses the Miss World platform to advance charitable initiatives and represent the organisation globally.