After a month of travel, talent rounds, and cultural immersion across Telangana, the 72nd edition of Miss World comes to an end tonight with a grand finale at HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad. The event brings together 108 participants from around the globe, all aiming for the iconic blue crown.
The stage is set not just for a beauty contest, but a packed evening of performances, special appearances, and high-stakes competition. Hosted by Miss World 2016 Stephanie del Valle and Indian anchor Sachiin Kumbhar, the event will also see Bollywood actors Jacqueline Fernandez and Ishaan Khatter perform live.
The finale follows weeks of preliminary activities, from exploring Telangana’s heritage sites like Charminar, Ramappa Temple, and Yadagirigutta, to taking part in community-focused programmes. This year’s pageant was also used by the Telangana government to spotlight the state as a destination for tourism and investment.
From the original 108, contestants have been grouped by continent: Americas & Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Asia & Oceania. Ten from each region will move to the quarter-finals. Sixteen of these spots have already been secured through fast-track wins in challenges like Top Model, Multimedia, Head-to-Head, Beauty With a Purpose, Talent, and Sports. Contestants from India, Indonesia, Turkey, Wales, Zambia, Martinique, Estonia, among others, have grabbed these early victories.
The remaining 24 quarter-finalists will be selected based on interviews and jury evaluation. From there, the top five from each continent will be chosen, and then narrowed to a final set of four, one from each region. These four will respond to a final question before one is named Miss World 2025.
Actor Sonu Sood leads the jury and will also receive a humanitarian award for his public service efforts. He will be joined by Sudha Reddy, former Miss England Dr. Karina Turrell, and Miss World Chairperson Julia Morley. Manushi Chhillar, Miss World 2017, will also be making an appearance.
The winner will be crowned by current titleholder Krystyna Pyszková and will later be a guest of honour at Telangana’s State Formation Day event on 2 June. With a prize pool reportedly worth £800,000 (₹8.5 crore) and a crown valued at over £600,000 (₹6 crore), the stakes are high, and the world is watching.
