Miss World 2026: Africa Had More Than One Story to Tell

The Dominican Republic has a new Miss World, while South Africa has a new Miss World Africa.

Joheirry Mola of the Dominican Republic was crowned Miss World 2026 in Nha Trang, Vietnam, on September 5, bringing the competition to a close. Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés was first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty finished third.

Miss World 2026

For South Africa, the night ended with Romanda Hombir among the final six and with the Miss World Africa 2026 title.

Miss World Africa, 2026

Her result was one of several African highlights from this year’s competition. Ten African contestants made the Top 40, five reached the Top 20 and four made the Top 12. Nigeria’s Tamunosoye Karibi-George won the African Top Model Challenge before returning to the Top 12 through the People’s Choice vote. Zambia’s Dr Adah Mushibi won the overall Multimedia Award.

For a continent that did not take the main crown, there was plenty happening along the way.

Africa started with 10 contestants

The African countries represented in the Top 40 were Eritrea, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

For Eritrea, Malawi, Mozambique and Senegal, reaching the Top 40 was a first.

The contestants had several ways to advance. Miss World’s 2026 format included Top Model, Multimedia, Head-to-Head, Beauty With a Purpose and People’s Choice, alongside the judges’ selections.

Nigeria used the Top Model route.

Karibi-George won the African Top Model Challenge, competing against contestants including representatives from Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The win secured Nigeria’s place in the Top 40.

Her campaign also focused on Beyond Labels, an advocacy project centred on inclusion and opportunities for people with disabilities and special needs.

Five Africans made the Top 20

The next cut left Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the judges’ Top 20.

Nigeria, Eritrea, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania did not make that selection.

The People’s Choice vote then brought two of them back.

Karibi-George and Eritrea’s Snit Tewoldemedhin received enough public support to enter the Top 12. Karibi-George eventually finished there, while Tewoldemedhin went on to the final six.

For Nigeria, it was a second route through the competition. The same contestant who had earned her Top 40 place through Top Model was now back because of the public vote.

Hombir went furthest

Hombir’s run continued through the Top 20 and Top 12 before she reached the final six.

She was the last South African and African contestant remaining in the main competition.

The South African contestant is a clinical audiologist and humanitarian. Her Caring Purpose initiative works on health screenings, literacy, food security and life-skills programmes.

She eventually missed out on the global crown, but won the Miss World Africa 2026 title and that made her the leading African contestant of the competition and gave South Africa one of the night's biggest results.

Zambia had a different kind of win

Zambia’s Dr Adah Mushibi did not reach the final six, but she left Vietnam with one of the competition’s major awards.

She won the overall Multimedia Award after emerging as Africa’s winner in the continental stage of the challenge.

The competition assessed contestants on their online content, storytelling and engagement with audiences. Mushibi came out on top.

Zimbabwe also reached the Top 20 after advancing through Beauty With a Purpose, one of the competition’s main routes into the later stages.

The results meant several African contestants remained visible deep into the competition, even when they did not make the final six.

And now the pageant is coming to Africa

Miss World 2026 ended with Mola taking the global crown and Hombir taking the African title.

The next edition will be closer to home.

Tanzania will host the 74th Miss World Festival in May 2027, becoming the fourth African country to host the event after South Africa, Seychelles and Nigeria.

This year’s competition gave the continent several moments to follow. Next year, the pageant comes to Tanzania.

Meta: Miss World 2026 saw South Africa’s Romanda Hombir reach the final six, while Nigeria, Zambia and Eritrea also delivered major African highlights.