Miss Universe 2026: African contestants miss out over US visa rules
Zambia and Congo have pulled out of Miss Universe in Puerto Rico after failing to get US visas, and two more African queens are still waiting.
Two African beauty queens have withdrawn from Miss Universe 2026 because they could not get US visas, and two more are still waiting with ten days to go. Contestants from Zambia and the Republic of Congo pulled out, while those from Zimbabwe and South Sudan have not yet been cleared to travel, the Associated Press reported on Friday, 13 November.
Why a US visa for a pageant in Puerto Rico?
The 75th Miss Universe is being held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is a US territory. That means every contestant has to meet American entry rules, the same as flying to New York.
Delegates began arriving last Sunday for rehearsals, and up to 120 are expected. The national costume show is on 21 November, the swimsuit and evening gown rounds follow the next day, and the new Miss Universe will be crowned on 24 November. The new crown, with 3,150 diamonds set in white gold, was unveiled at the Plaza Las Americas mall in San Juan on 12 November, theGrio reported.
Who is affected?
- Zambia: Mubanga Pamela Hatyoka has withdrawn. Her national organisers said, “She earned her crown, she earned her title, and she deserves the opportunity to represent the nation she proudly serves.”
- Republic of Congo: Georgina Kambongo was crowned the country’s first-ever Miss Universe representative, but she cannot travel. Her organisers said the reason was solely the US travel restrictions.
- Zimbabwe: Roseanna Hall is still waiting. She wrote on social media that “American visa challenges have delayed that journey”, but that “the fight is not over”.
- South Sudan: Adut Deng’s place is still uncertain after months of trying to get travel documents and approvals. Her organisers said South Sudan “deserves to be seen, heard, and represented”.
The AP report did not include a response from the Miss Universe Organization.
What are the US travel restrictions?
Under proclamations signed in Donald Trump’s second term, the US has restricted travel from dozens of countries, many of them in Africa. Last December, the administration widened the list to more countries, including Zambia and Zimbabwe, and kept a full ban on entry for people from the Republic of Congo and South Sudan, AP reported.
The rules usually make headlines through students, families and workers. A pageant shows the same wall from a different angle: a woman can win her country’s title and still be unable to reach the stage.
Is Pakistan’s Miss Universe affected?
Nothing in the reports suggests so. Pakistan is represented by Misbah Arshad, a psychology student, who was presented with the Miss Universe Pakistan sash at a ceremony in the Philippines in August, ARY News reported. The AP report named only African countries among those facing visa trouble.
That is why “miss universe” is climbing in Pakistan’s Google searches this week: fans are following Misbah’s run while the visa row plays out.
What to watch: whether Zimbabwe’s and South Sudan’s contestants get visas before the national costume round on 21 November, and whether the organisers say anything about the empty places.
