Miss Universe 2025: Mexico’s Fatima Bosch Wins The Crown After A Drama-Filled Season

 

Mexico’s Fatima Bosch wins Miss Universe 2025 after a controversy-filled season marked by walkouts, resignations and viral moments. Here’s everything that happened.

The 74th Miss Universe competition has officially come to an end, and after weeks of global buzz, emotional moments, and headline-making chaos, Mexico’s Fatima Bosch has emerged as the new Miss Universe 2025. 

Nigeria’s representative, Onyinyechi Basil, competed at this year’s pageant, and now

we finally have the full picture of how the competition played out.

From backstage confrontations to judges resigning and political tensions spilling onto the runway, this year’s pageant had everything… and then some.

A Win That Came With a Story

Fatima Bosch, only 25 and already known for her work as a humanitarian and volunteer, was crowned Miss Universe 2025 by Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig, last year’s winner. 

Bosch’s journey to the crown unfolded amid one of the most chaotic and controversy-heavy competitions the Miss Universe Organisation has hosted in years, and somehow, she still came out as the people’s favourite.

Her win follows a dramatic pre-pageant moment that went viral, where a Thai pageant director publicly berated her during a meeting, allegedly calling her a “dumbhead”. 

The moment caused several contestants to walk out, and turned Bosch into a symbol of composure under pressure, also creating a ripple of global solidarity. 

Even Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, weighed in, calling the insult an “aggression” that Bosch handled with dignity.

The Final Night

Despite the build-up of controversies, the finale itself was a classic Miss Universe spectacle with brilliant lighting, live vocal performances, tightly rehearsed choreography, and 120 delegates ready to shine.

After the swimwear round, the group of 120 narrowed to 30, then 12, and eventually the top 5:

·         Mexico – Fatima Bosch (Winner).

·         Thailand – Praveenar Singh (1st Runner-Up).

·         Venezuela – Stephany Abasali.

·         Philippines – Ahtisa Manalo.

·         Ivory Coast – Olivia Yacé.

This year also marked a huge milestone as Nadeen Ayoub became the first woman to represent the Palestinian people, making it to the top 30 before being eliminated.

During the final question round, contestants were asked what global issue they’d address at the United Nations General Assembly and how they’d use the Miss Universe platform to empower young girls. Bosch’s answer, anchored on self-worth and authenticity, struck a chord. 

“Believe in the power of your authenticity,” she said. “Your dreams matter, your heart matters. Never let anyone make you doubt your worth.”

A Pageant Surrounded by Controversy

You could genuinely create a documentary from everything that happened off-stage this year. For weeks, Miss Universe looked more like a reality show than an organised competition, and every day seemed to bring a new headline.

Here are just a few of the plotlines:

1. The Viral Confrontation

Bosch’s tense moment with Nawat Itsaragrisil, a Thai director, became global news. Contestants walked out, and Nawat later cried publicly in an apology, claiming he was misunderstood. The Miss Universe Organisation stepped in, condemning his behaviour and reducing his involvement.

2. Remarks That Sparked Outrage

Miss Universe 1996, Alicia Machado, came under fire after racist comments were made during an Instagram Live. The backlash was immediate, further overshadowing the pageant’s run-up. 

3. Judges Dramatically Resigning

Two judges quit just days before the finale.

Composer Omar Harfouch alleged the pageant was “pre-rigged”, saying he couldn’t legitimise a vote he never participated in.

Former French footballer Claude Makélélé also resigned, citing personal reasons.

The Miss Universe Organisation denied all accusations of secret judging panels, calling the claims a “mischaracterisation”.

4. Stage Mishaps

Both Miss Jamaica and Miss Great Britain suffered falls during preliminary stages, and one of them even landed in hospital. 

5. Political Tensions on the Runway

From Miss Palestine’s symbolic gown featuring Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock to Miss Israel receiving threats after what appeared to be a misinterpreted side-eye, global politics inevitably made their way into pageant commentary.

6. A TikTok “Drug Joke” That Backfired

Miss Chile drew criticism after a viral video where she mimicked snorting a substance as part of a makeup transition, which she later apologised for.

This doesn’t even cover the leadership shake-up, as Thai billionaire Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip stepped down earlier this year, with Mario Búcaro stepping in as CEO mere days before contestants arrived.

The Crown, Despite the Chaos

With all this noise, many wondered whether Miss Universe would manage to pull off its 74th edition with the grace it promises. 

By the time Fatima Bosch walked the runway one last time with poise and confidence, it was clear the public had moved beyond the drama.

What’s Next for Miss Universe?

The 2026 competition is set for Puerto Rico, and after this year’s chaos, the new leadership has quite a task ahead. 

Expectations for transparency, fairness, and mental well-being of contestants have never been higher, especially after Bosch’s incident started conversations about how women in pageantry are treated behind closed doors.