The 74th Miss Universe ceremony is set to take place in Thailand on November 21, 2025. The competition will witness 122 contestants from around the world battling it out for the crown.
Miss Universe Thailand Director Vs Miss Mexico
Ahead of the Miss Universe finals, a controversy erupted when a confrontation happened between Miss Universe Mexico, Fatima Bosch, and Miss Universe Thailand director, Nawat Itsaragrisil, during a pre-pageant event. The disagreement centred around Bosch's apparent refusal to post promotional content for Thailand, the host country.
While Bosch initially attempted to explain herself, she walked out of the venue after the situation escalated. Other contestants, including Victoria Theilvig from Denmark, followed her out of the hall. Itsaragrisil responded by threatening to disqualify those who supported Bosch, saying, "If anyone wants to continue the contest, sit down."
The incident sparked widespread criticism, with many fans accusing Itsaragrisil of damaging Thailand's reputation as the host country. This is not the first time his management style has come under scrutiny. The Thai entrepreneur also owns another pageant, Miss Grand International, whose 2024 winner, India's Rachel Gupta, relinquished her title, citing "toxic environment" as the reason.
Following the controversy, Raul Rocha, president of the Miss Universe Organisation, posted a video message on Instagram and criticised Itsaragrisil's behaviour. He announced that executives, including CEO Mario Bucaro, would be heading to Thailand to address the situation.
In response, Itsaragrisil held a press conference where he tearfully apologised for his actions. Later that evening, the 122 contestants gathered for a welcome ceremony in Bangkok, where Itsaragrisil took the stage to apologise again. "I have to apologise to the delegates if anyone felt uncomfortable ... I am very sorry. Thank you so much for making Thailand the host country for Miss Universe again," he said.
Judges Resign Days Before Ceremony
In other news, Judge and composer Omar Harfouch announced his resignation from the Miss Universe 2025 competition just three days before the Miss Universe 2025 final competition.
He claimed that a "secret committee" had already chosen the top 30 finalists before the preliminary rounds took place. Omar further shared that a 'significant potential conflict of interest' included an alleged affair between a contestant and a selection committee member.
Omar said that the unofficial judging panel is "composed of individuals with a significant potential conflict of interest due to some [personal] relationships with some of the Miss Universe contestants, including the person responsible for counting the votes and managing the results, which constitutes a further conflict of interest."
Soon after, a second Miss Universe judge, French soccer manager Claude Makélélé, announced his withdrawal from the pageant. In a post shared on Instagram, he wrote, "Regretfully, I will not be attending Miss Universe 2025. Thank you for your understanding and support." No specific reason was given for his resignation.
Responding to the allegations of rigged competition, the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) stated that no impromptu jury was formed and that all evaluations follow established, transparent protocols. The MUO has banned Omar Harfouch from associating with the brand and using its trademarks.
Miss India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma will represent India at the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand. The event can be watched live on the official Miss Universe YouTube channel at 6:30 am IST.