Mexico’s Fatima Bosch crowned Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand
Historic first appearances from Palestine and the UAE celebrated on global stage
DUBAI – Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, has been crowned Miss Universe 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, in a glittering finale that drew global attention not only for its spectacle, but for its historic firsts.
The 25-year-old humanitarian and volunteer claimed the title after three dramatic weeks shaped by resignations, allegations of misconduct, and vocal demands for transparency. Yet amid the headlines, two contestants carved their own place in the pageant’s history: Miss Palestine, Nadeen Ayoub, who became the first ever representative from Palestine and reached the top 30, and Miss UAE, Mariam Mohamed, the first Emirati woman to step onto the Miss Universe stage.
Bosch received her crown from Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig, last year’s winner, after emerging as a favourite following a widely publicised clash with a senior Thai organiser during a livestreamed meeting.
In that incident, Bosch was reprimanded for not posting promotional content, prompting several contestants to walk out in support. She had said: “I came to compete with integrity, not politics.”
Miss Universe 2025
The competition featured delegates from 120 countries, beginning with 30 contestants advancing to the swimsuit round. From there, 12 moved on to the evening gown segment, and five reached the final Q&A stage. Thailand’s Praveenar Singh finished as first runner-up, with Venezuela’s Stephany Abasali, the Philippines’ Ahtisa Manalo and Ivory Coast’s Olivia Yacé completing the top five.
Controversy surrounded the judging panel when two jurists, Omar Harfouch and Claude Makélélé, resigned days before the finale. Harfouch alleged the existence of an illegitimate voting process, accusations rejected by the Miss Universe Organisation. During the costume round, Miss Britain Danielle Latimer tripped on stage, while Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry suffered a fall during the evening gown showcase and was taken to hospital. She was later reported to be stable and recovering.
The 74th coronation event took place in Bangkok, with the main ceremony held on November 21. The week included a National Costume segment on November 19 at 1 pm and a Preliminary Competition later that evening. The Swimsuit Runway aired on November 15 at 8 pm across Metro Channel, ANC, and iWant, followed by a replay on November 16 on Kapamilya Channel.
Historic debuts
This year marked a landmark moment for representation in the Arab world and beyond. Nadeen Ayoub became the first Palestinian delegate ever to compete at Miss Universe, reaching the top 30 and capturing international attention for her cultural pride and poise.
Equally significant was the debut of Mariam Mohamed, the first Emirati contestant in the history of the pageant.
A 26-year-old student of fashion design, she was selected from more than 950 applicants through a rigorous national competition. Mohamed, who holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Sydney and is currently studying at ESMOD Dubai, is known for her passion for heritage, sustainability, and women’s empowerment. She has been involved in charitable projects such as Ramadan Aman and The Giving Family Initiative, and aims to be a voice for women who are, in her words, “ambitious, curious, and driven”.