France withdraws from Miss Universe over allegations of irregularities

France will not participate in the 2026 edition of the international beauty pageant Miss Universe.

The Miss France organisation has made the decision, expressing dissatisfaction with the recent activities and management of the competition.

This is the first time the country has withdrawn from Miss Universe after
participating regularly since 1952.

Miss France authorities announced the decision in a statement on social media Instagram recently.

“The Miss France Company has decided not to participate in the 2026 Miss Universe competition.

This decision reflects our desire to remain faithful to our identity, values and commitments,” the statement said.

The organisation claims that the activities and direction of Miss Universe in recent years are no longer consistent with its policies, especially in the 2025 edition, which it alleges has witnessed “numerous inconsistencies and management errors.”

However, Miss France authorities have also stated that this is not a permanent decision.

They have left open the possibility of participating in the competition again if the situation improves in the future.

Miss France President Frederic Gilbert said, “Miss Universe has always been an important platform for showcasing France on the international stage.

However, our responsibility is to maintain the values and uniqueness of the Miss France competition.

This decision was made with that in mind.”

He also said that they will keep an eye on how Miss Universe activities progress in the future.