Nigeria exits as Dominican Republic wins Miss World 2026

Joheirry Mola Dominguez brought the Miss World crown back to the Dominican Republic for only the second time, 44 years after Mariasela Álvarez won the title in 1982.

Mola was crowned on Saturday at the 73rd Miss World finale at April 2 Square in Nha Trang, Vietnam. She succeeded Thailand’s Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, who won the 2025 edition and crowned her successor. Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern finished as first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty took second runner-up and also won the Beauty with a Purpose award.

Nigeria’s representative, Tamunosoye Karibi-George, known as Soye, ended her campaign in the Top 12. She had earned an automatic place in the Top 40 after winning the Africa Top Model title at the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest, defeating contestants from Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya and South Africa. She then advanced through the Top 20 and Top 12 before missing the final six.

Mola, 24, works as a literature and social studies teacher, professional model, news correspondent and community advocate. She holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana and founded Voices of Tomorrow, an initiative providing English-language education to children and young people in vulnerable communities.

Her education advocacy featured prominently during the competition. She had earlier won the Americas and Caribbean Top Model title, securing her place in the Top 40. Karibi-George, 26, is from Port Harcourt in Rivers State and represented Bayelsa State at Nigeria’s national pageant. She was crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 in June at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos.