Joheirry Mola Dominguez from the Dominican Republic has been crowned Miss World 2026 at the grand finale held in Nha Trang, Vietnam, on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The victory makes her the second beauty from that country to claim the prestigious title, 44 years after Mariasela Álvarez first won it in 1982.
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| Joheirry Mola Dominguez from Dominican Republic. |
Mola, who has a background in business management, journalism, and modeling, was officially crowned after outshining her fellow contestants. In the competition, Elisabeth Reynés from Spain was announced as the first runner-up, while Taanusiya Chetty from Malaysia took the second runner-up position.
In the finals featuring 111 beauties from around the world, Tanzania's representative, Latricia Ian Sawe (24), successfully advanced to the Top 40 stage. Although she did not progress to the Top 20, her achievement has brought great pride to Tanzania, especially as the country prepares to host the Miss World pageant in 2027.
Other contestants who made it to the top six included Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc of Vietnam, Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin of Eritrea, and Romanda Hombir of South Africa, representing their respective geographical regions. Mola takes the crown from Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand, who was Miss World 2025.
Beyond beauty, Mola is the founder and president of the "Voices of Tomorrow" foundation, which aims to promote English language education for children and youth in underserved communities. She has also worked as a journalist for Univision New York, making her an effective communicator beyond the beauty stage.
In Vietnam, Latricia used the international platform to advocate for inclusive education and raise awareness about autism. Her "Beauty With a Purpose" project, known as "Nuru ya Elimu" (Light of Education), aims to empower youth through education outside the classroom and support children with special needs and their families.
Latricia's entry into the Top 40 adds to Tanzania's history in the competition, where the country's greatest achievement remains that of Nancy Sumari, who entered the top six and was crowned Miss World Africa in 2006.
Alongside the finals, Tanzania officially received the hosting flag for the 74th Miss World Festival, expected to take place in May 2027. Deputy Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Hamis Mwinjuma, received the flag on Saturday in Vietnam as a symbol of the official handover from this year's hosts.
Tanzania becomes the first country in the East and Central Africa region to host this major competition, and only the fourth country in Africa after South Africa, Seychelles, and Nigeria. The hosting agreement was signed on April 20, 2026, in Dar es Salaam between the Government of Tanzania and Miss World Limited, led by Julia Morley.
This opportunity is described as a major platform for promoting Tanzania's tourism, including attractions such as Serengeti National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the islands of Zanzibar. The month-long festival is expected to attract thousands of international visitors and provide significant economic opportunities in the hospitality, arts, and tourism sectors in the country.