74th Miss Universe

 Mexico wins Miss Universe 2025, Philippines in fourth place

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Fatima Bosch of Mexico bested 119 other international delegates to be crowned the 74th Miss Universe titleholder at glitzy rites in Bangkok, Thailand. Outgoing queen Viktoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark crowned the Mexican beauty. What started as a "word war" between her and Thai producer Nawat Itsaragrisil kinda worked in her favor, thus far.

Praveenar Singh was proclaimed 1st runner-up after holding hands with eventual winner, Mexico.

Stephany Abasali of Venezuela was stunned when announced as 2nd runner-up. She was later proclaimed Continental Queen of the Americas during the Victory Party.

Ma.Ahtisa Manalo, one of the crowd favorites for the evening, was declared as 3rd runner-up.

Visibly surprised by her placement was Olivia Yace of Cote D'Ivoire who was named as 4th runner up. She was also named as Continental Queen of Africa.

No matter what the pageant community has to say, these five women has achieved much in placing in the final round. It is not easy to place in the Top 5 with 115 other women wanting to be in their shoes.

The other lucky delegates who made it to the Top 10 were Ophely Mezino (Guadelope), Zhao Na (China, Continental Queen of Asia), Vanessa Pulgarin (Colombia), Lina Luaces (Cuba), Zashely Alicea (Puerto Rico), Julia Ann Cluett (Malta, Continental Queen of Europe), and Inna Moll (Chile).

Sporting Bench swimwear, the other ladies who made it to the Top 30 were Manika Viswakarma (India), Jennifer Ventura Marte (Dominican Republic), Gabriela Lacerda (Brazil), Solange Keita (Rwanda), Nathalie Yasmin (Netherlands), Tangia Methila (Bangladesh), Kaori Hashimoto (Japan), Audrey Eckert (USA), Lyshanda Moyas (Zimbabwe), Mahyla Roth Benavides (Costa Rica), Jamie Vandenberg (Canada), Yamilex Hernandez (Latina), Laura Gntajovic (Croatia), Raschel Alexandra Paz (Guatemala), Nadeen Ayoub (Palestine), Itza Castillo (Nicaragua), Eve Gilles (France), and Yanina Gomez Ojeda (Paraguay), who qualified through the People's Choice online poll; as well as win the Beyond the Crown advocacy project challenge.

Fatima now joins the ranks of Mexican titleholders that include Lupita Jones (1991), Ximena Navarette (2010), and Andrea Meza (2020).

Hosted by Steve Byrne, with anchors/commentators Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres and Miss Universe 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel, and entertainment numbers from Jeff Satur, the 74th Miss Universe coronation rites was beamed live to a global audience from the Impact Challenger Hall in Bangkok, Thailand and through the Kapamilya channel network in the Philippines.

The Selection Committee was comprised of Dr. Nok Chalita, Ismael Cala, Saina Nay-Wal, Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza, Sharon Fonseca, Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova, Minnie Baloyi, and Louie Heredia.

Next year's 75th pageant edition will take place in the paradisiacal island of Puerto Rico and will be covered by the island's WAPA TV Network.