Miss Universe franchise dispute threatens six Southeast Asian nations

Six Southeast Asian nations, including Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia, face potential exclusion from the Miss Universe 2026 pageant due to an internal franchise dispute.

JKN Universe LLC, the legal holder of the Miss Universe brand rights, has declared that it does not recognize the licensing agreements for these countries. JKN Universe claims that Miss Universe Eastern (MU East) lacked the authority to grant or issue these licenses, rendering the arrangements invalid. Consequently, JKN Universe considers delegates selected under these disputed contracts ineligible for the 75th Miss Universe competition.

However, MU East has rejected this position. In a statement, MU East asserted that JKN Universe operates under a 50:50 ownership structure and that it did not approve the declaration of ineligibility. MU East maintains that its Hemisphere Agreement grants it exclusive rights to operate and develop the brand across its territory, meaning the delegates should still retain their right to compete.