PARIS: France has announced that it will not participate in the 2026 edition of the Miss Universe 2026 pageant, marking the country's first withdrawal from the competition in more than 70 years.
According to international media reports, the dates for Miss Universe 2026 have yet to be announced. However, the organization behind Miss France confirmed that France will not send a representative to the upcoming edition.
France has participated in the Miss Universe competition continuously since 1952, making the decision a significant break from a tradition spanning seven decades.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the Miss France organization said the decision applies only to the next edition of the pageant. The organization added that it remains attentive to the future development of the competition and hopes to resume participation in the near future.
Meanwhile, organizers of Miss Universe have also confirmed that France will not be represented at the 2026 contest.
No detailed reason for the withdrawal has been publicly disclosed, and the Miss France organization has indicated that it will continue monitoring developments related to the international competition before making future decisions regarding participation.
More read, Miss Universe 2025 pageant chaos worsens, co-owner’s arrest warrant issued
Earlier, Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, is now going through a tough phase facing an arrest warrant from a Thai court over a fraud case.
The Bangkok South Civil Court issued the warrant after Jakrajutatip failed to appear in court on November 25. Reports suggest she may have left Thailand and is currently in Mexico.
The case involves allegations that in 2023, Jakrajutatip asked a plastic surgeon for an investment of $930,000, whilst allegedly understanding she couldn’t repay the cash because she did not attend the court hearings, the court has categorized her as a flight risk. The next hearing is scheduled for December 26.
