On September 18, a dispute related to the Miss Universe franchise suddenly directly affected 6 Southeast Asian markets including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos and Singapore.
JKN Universe LLC, the owner of the Miss Universe brand, announced that it does not recognize franchise agreements made through Miss Universe Eastern (MU East) or related parties without valid authorization. Accordingly, representatives of the above 6 countries are not eligible to participate in the 75th Miss Universe.
However, MU East immediately refuted. This unit said that JKN Universe LLC is owned according to the 50:50 structure between MU East and MU West, and affirmed that according to current agreements, MU East has the right to operate the brand in 95 eastern territories and has the right to send representatives of 6 countries to Miss Universe 2026.
MU East also believes that the rights of contestants should not be affected by disputes between parties and declares that it will protect the right to participate through legal channels.
Where will the new Miss go?
Between two different statements, the noteworthy question for Vietnam at this time is whether the winner of Miss Universe Vietnam 2026 is sure to reach Miss Universe 2026 or not.
According to the announcement from Head of the Organizing Committee Pham Duy Khanh, issues related to the authority, agreement or relationship between organizations at the international level "are outside the scope of decision" of the Miss Universe Vietnam 2026 Organizing Committee.
The Vietnamese side affirmed that the contest will continue according to the plan, focusing on finding new Misses, training and creating experiences for contestants. Activities after coronation will be implemented depending on the plan and actual conditions at each time.
This response shows that the two stories are temporarily being separated: Miss Universe Vietnam 2026 can still be held domestically, while the possibility of the winner reaching out to Miss Universe international depends on the results of dispute resolution at a higher level. This is also a special situation for this year's contestants.
Miss Universe Vietnam 2026 has announced the top 30 with many faces who have had beauty pageant experience such as Nguyen Quynh Anh, Emma Le, Trinh Thi Hong Dang, Mlee, Trinh My Anh... The final is expected to take place on October 2nd in Hai Phong.
Meanwhile, the 75th Miss Universe is expected to be held in Puerto Rico in November.
Thus, from when Vietnam found the winner of Miss Universe Vietnam 2026 to the 75th Miss Universe international arena, there has only been about a month.
Domestic title or international ticket?
The current developments put Miss Universe Vietnam in front of a problem different from ordinary seasons.
A national contest can still build its own value through titles, community activities and projects during the term. The Vietnamese Organizing Committee also emphasized that the new Miss not only represents the title but also takes on community activities after being crowned.
But the appeal of Miss Universe Vietnam for a long time has been difficult to separate from the expectation that the winner will represent Vietnam at Miss Universe. Therefore, the unclear international competition slot may affect the meaning of domestic competition, especially for contestants who aim to step into the international arena.
At the present time, there is not enough basis to conclude that Vietnam will be absent from Miss Universe 2026. One side declares that 6 representatives are not qualified, while the other side affirms that they have the right to nominate contestants and will protect this right under the contract.
