Miss Universe S'pore not going to Puerto Rico on Nov. 24 to compete due to franchise dispute
Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos will also not be represented.
Vion Erico Tan, the Miss Universe Singapore representative, will not attend the pageant in Puerto Rico on November 24, 2026. This decision comes from a franchise dispute involving Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Laos. Miss Grand International (MGI) announced the decision on October 21, stating that consultation with relevant parties and national organizations led to the choice.
The Miss Universe Singapore Organisation expressed support for the decision and announced that they would proceed with preparations for Tan's participation at the upcoming Miss Universe 2027 in a different host country. Tan shared on Instagram that the news affected her deeply and she needed time to gather her thoughts. The conflict stems from franchise disagreements across the six Southeast Asian nations, where agreements were not recognized.
The dispute involves Miss Universe Eastern, led by Thai pageant director Nawat Itsaragrisil, and the media conglomerate JKN, which owns the Miss Universe brand and organization. Itsaragrisil's organization, MGI, expressed respect for Puerto Rico and wished to avoid affecting the host destination due to a corporate dispute unrelated to them.
Rehearsals and promotional events in Puerto Rico begin on November 8, with the grand finale scheduled for November 24.
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