Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic has been crowned Miss World 2026 after emerging winner of the 73rd edition of the prestigious international beauty pageant held in Nha Trang, Vietnam, on Saturday.
The 24-year-old contestant outshone finalists from Malaysia, Vietnam, Eritrea, Spain and South Africa to secure the coveted crown and succeed Thailand’s Opal Suchata Chuangsri, who won the title in 2025.
Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern finished as first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty was named second runner-up.
Dominguez received the crown from Chuangsri, who made history last year as the first Thai contestant to win the Miss World title.
A key moment of the competition came during the final question-and-answer segment, where Dominguez was asked about the “Beauty with a Purpose” project she had championed in her home country and how she would expand it if crowned Miss World.
In her response, she highlighted her initiative aimed at providing English language education to children in vulnerable communities, describing the programme as a pathway to greater opportunities and social mobility.
“My Beauty with a Purpose is to take English programmes to children in vulnerable communities because I believe that knowing this language can open huge doors of opportunity for them,” she said.
Dominguez explained that her advocacy was driven by a belief in the transformative power of education and communication, particularly for disadvantaged children seeking to improve their future prospects.
According to the Miss World Organisation, the newly crowned queen is an educator, communicator and community advocate with a strong commitment to youth empowerment.
She holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana and is the founder and president of Voices of Tomorrow, an initiative dedicated to promoting English education among children and young people in underserved communities.
In addition to her advocacy work, Dominguez teaches Literature and Social Studies in English and serves as a correspondent for Univision New York’s Ventana a Quisqueya, where she reports on Dominican culture, social issues and community affairs.
She is also a professional model and a Goya Gives Ambassador, further reflecting her involvement in humanitarian and community-focused initiatives.
Dominguez’s personal motto, “The greatest gift you can offer is the opportunity that you once needed yourself in order to grow, move forward, and transform your life,” has been central to her advocacy and service efforts.
Her victory places the Dominican Republic at the centre of the global pageant spotlight for the next year as she begins her reign as Miss World 2026. The next edition of the competition is scheduled to be hosted in Tanzania.
