The final of Miss Universe 2025 in Bangkok reignited the controversy surrounding the competition after the victory of Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch.
The 74th Miss Universe competition, held on November 21, 2025, at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, ended as it began, surrounded by discussions and mixed reactions.
The coronation of Fatima Bosch sparked boos and very mixed reactions, especially after the statements of a resigning judge who had claimed, before the final, that the competition was rigged and that Miss Mexico would win the title.
What happened before?
Nawat Itsaragrisil, president of the organizing committee of the 74th Miss Universe Thailand competition and Fatima Bosch, Miss Universe Mexico.
Early November, several incidents broke out during the events preceding the coronation in Bangkok.
The national director of Miss Universe Thailand, Nawat Itsaragrisil, got into a dispute with Mexican delegate Fatima Bosch, which led to the departure of several contestants and a statement from the Miss Universe organization condemning the incident.
See: Chaos at Miss Universe Thailand: insults, departures and sponsors pulling out
Sponsors expressed their concerns and some events were canceled, but the November 21 coronation went ahead as planned.
On Friday, Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, was crowned Miss Universe 2025, while Miss Thailand, Veena Praveenar Singh, finished as first runner-up.
Bosch received the crown from outgoing Miss Universe, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, of Denmark.
The top 5 was completed by Venezuelan Stephany Abasali as second runner-up, Philippine Ahtisa Manalo as third runner-up, and Ivorian Olivia Yacé as fourth runner-up.
Reactions in the room and on social media
Some members of the audience booed at the announcement of the results of the Miss Universe 2025 competition, after the victory of Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch. Photo taken from the video of Thai PBS World/John Marwin Elao
While Mexican supporters were celebrating Bosch's victory, many spectators in the room expressed their disappointment.
Some members of the public booed and made gestures of disapproval after the announcement.
Online reactions to the results were mixed.
Several posts on X (formerly Twitter) questioned the result, with some users expressing frustration or alleging irregularities.
These posts reflect personal opinions and have not been verified.
A widely shared post, with over 431.1k views, claimed that the result reflected "sympathy and bribery".
Another user alleged that the contest was "rigged" and stated that they felt some contestants deserved a higher ranking.
A judge had accused the contest of being rigged and announced the victory of Miss Mexico
The Franco-Lebanese musician Omar Harfouch. Photo: Neil Hall/EPA
Two days before the coronation, the Franco-Lebanese musician Omar Harfouch, who was on the jury, announced his resignation.
See: Thailand: 2 French judges quit Miss Universe, allegations of rigging
After the coronation, he posted a message on Instagram criticizing the result and stating that he had reservations about the process.
In his posts, Harfouch stated that he had previously informed HBO that Miss Mexico would win the title, claiming that it was due to what he described as business ties between the owner of Miss Universe, Raúl Rocha, and Bosch's family.
He also claimed that Rocha and his son urged him, during a meeting in Dubai, to support Bosch because "it would be good for their business".
Harfouch stated that more details would be revealed in a documentary scheduled for May 2026.
These claims have not been verified and the Miss Universe organization has not commented publicly on the matter at the time of writing.
The allegations come solely from his statements published on his social media accounts.
Meanwhile, Natalie Glebova, Miss Universe 2005, who was a judge at the competition this year, posted a comment on Instagram about the selection process.
She wrote:
"As a judge this year, I can only speak for myself when I vote.
Remember that each person has their own opinion and no one person can influence the result alone."
She also added:
"Until then, I don't think I will participate again as a judge."
Glebova suggested that restoring the presence of an auditor with sealed results on stage could improve transparency, referring to the way the competition was run in previous years.
After the crown
Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch, center, celebrates her victory at the Miss Universe 2025 pageant in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, November 21, 2025. Photo: AP
As the excitement of the coronation night fades, attention now turns to how Fatima Bosch will begin her reign as Miss Universe 2025.
Thanks to the massive support of her fans and online discussions, her coming year is expected to continue to generate public interest, both for her advocacy work and for how the pageant will address the discussions sparked this year.
- Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch's victory at Miss Universe 2025 sparked boos and strong reactions in Bangkok.
- Unverified allegations of rigging circulated online, particularly after judge Omar Harfouch's resignation.
- The pageant remains at the center of debates over the transparency of the process and the handling of controversies.
See also:
Miss Universe 2025: Thailand hosts the candidates, including those from Cambodia
Thai woman wins Miss Globe 2025, a first in a century
Historic victory: Opal becomes the first Thai Miss World
Source: Thai PBS World
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