Miss World 2026 contestants perform in Việt Nam's long traditional dresses and conical hats. VNA/VNS Photos

HẢI PHÒNG — Nearly 120 contestants for the 73rd Miss World pageant were announced at a press conference in the northern port city of Hải Phòng on August 13.

Chairwoman and CEO of the Miss World Organisation Julia Morley CBE and Miss World 2021 Karolina Bielawska attended the event, among others.

The occasion marks Việt Nam’s first-time hosting of Miss World, with close to a month of festivities unfolding across the country.

Hải Phòng will be a principal stop on the itinerary, with Dragon Ocean Đồ Sơn serving as both residence and stage for the contestants’ major engagements, from cultural exchanges and fashion shows to talent and sport competitions.

The contestants come from the UK, France, Denmark, Finland, Mexico, Brazil, Türkiye, the US, Nicaragua, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and the Philippines, among others.

Miss World 2026 contestants.

According to the organisers, the first leg runs from August 13-20 at Dragon Ocean Đồ Sơn, where the contestants will immerse themselves in local culture and coastal cuisine before competing in the first preliminary rounds.

A highlight of the day was the sash presentation ceremony, an elegant prelude to the weeks ahead.

Following the press conference, the contestants will begin their Hải Phòng journey, including talent, sports, chef beauty and top model competitions.

The 16th Việt Nam Beauty Fashion Fest will take place at Dragon Ocean Đồ Sơn on August 18 as one of the Hải Phòng leg’s highlights. — VNA/VNS