Africa Had a Strong Showing at Miss World 2026 as South Africa and Eritrea Reach Top 6

Africa had plenty to celebrate at the 2026 Miss World final in Vietnam.

South Africa’s Romanda Hombir made the final six, Eritrea’s Snit Tewoldemedhin also reached the last six through the People’s Choice route, while Nigeria’s Tamunosoye Karibi-George finished in the Top 12.

The global crown eventually went to Joheirry Mola of the Dominican Republic, but the African delegates had already made their mark at the September 5 finale in Nha Trang.

South Africa’s Romanda Hombir reaches the final six

Hombir became Africa’s representative in the final six after winning the continental Head-to-Head Challenge.

The 27-year-old clinical audiologist from Mpumalanga entered the competition with a background in community health and education. Through her Caring Purpose organisation, she has worked on health screenings, literacy and support programmes for vulnerable communities.

Her Miss World campaign also centred on healthcare, particularly improving access to health information and services for women and underserved communities.

Her run took her through the Top 40, Top 20 and Top 12 before she became the contestant representing Africa in the final six. The official Miss World results list her as the Africa finalist in the decisive stage.

She did not win the overall Miss World crown, but reaching the final six gave South Africa one of its strongest performances at the competition in years.

Eritrea made history too

If Hombir's run was a major moment for South Africa, Snit Tewoldemedhin's performance was historic for Eritrea.

Tewoldemedhin reached the final six after receiving the highest total in the live People’s Choice vote. She had earlier missed out on the judges' Top 20 selection, but the public vote brought her back into the competition.

The Eritrean contestant is a Montessori educator, parent mentor and founder of Designing for Diversity, an initiative focused on creating more inclusive learning opportunities for children with disabilities.

Her background in neuroscience and education also shaped her advocacy work around disability inclusion and children's rights.

She ultimately went on to receive the Miss World Africa 2026 continental title, giving Eritrea another major achievement at the pageant.

Nigeria also made the Top 12

Nigeria's Tamunosoye Karibi-George completed another strong African performance by reaching the Top 12.

The 26-year-old from Port Harcourt earned Nigeria's place in the Top 40 after winning the African Top Model challenge.

She then advanced to the Top 12, where she joined Eritrea and South Africa among the African representatives still in contention.

Karibi-George's run continues Nigeria's recent presence in the latter stages of Miss World. In 2025, Nigeria's Joy Mojisola Raimi also reached the Top 20.

For Karibi-George, making the Top 12 meant Nigeria remained firmly in the conversation as the competition narrowed.

Africa leaves Vietnam with three notable results

The final result belonged to the Dominican Republic, but Africa's performance was hard to overlook.

South Africa had a contestant in the final six. Eritrea reached the final six and took home the Miss World Africa title. Nigeria made the Top 12 after winning the African Top Model challenge.

Those results also show how differently the contestants got there.

Hombir's route came through the Head-to-Head Challenge and the continental structure. Tewoldemedhin's came through the public vote. Karibi-George secured her early advantage through Top Model.

The three women therefore represented different parts of the Miss World competition while carrying very different causes and experiences with them.

And while none of them took the main crown, Africa was still represented when the field had been reduced from 111 contestants to just six.

That is a result the continent can take home from Vietnam.