MAIN Pop Culture Miss Universe 2024

Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjær Theilvig is the reigning Miss Universe.

WHEN: November 16, 2024
WHERE: Televised live from Arena CDMX, Mexico City, Mexico

The most beautiful women in the world took center stage at the 73rd edition of the Miss Universe competition from Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

Like last year, the competition was streamed live on the Roku Channel and televised on the Telemundo Channel nationwide,

And the winner is ...

Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua crowned Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark as the 2024 Miss Universe. This was Denmark's first win in the pageant's history.

Contestants from a record 125 countries competed in the pageant, surpassing the previous record of 94 entrants set in 2018.

First runner up was Miss Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina, second runner up was Miss Mexico. María Fernanda Beltrán, third runner up was Miss Thailand, Suchata Chuangsri and fourth runner up was Miss Venezuela: Ileana Márquez.

Hosting the 2024 were Mario Lopez and Olivia Culpo with live commentary from Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and TV personality Zuri Hall. 

Audiences were also treated to musical performances by Robin Thicke, Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas and Brazilian artist Richaelio.

Judges for the night's pageant lineup included Emilio Estefan, Venezuelan-American singer and actress Lele Pons, and fashion designer Michael Cinco.

All about Miss Universe

Usually featuring more than 80 delegates from around the world, Miss Universe remains one of the world's most watched and most popular beauty pageants.

What began in 1952 - as a local bathing beauty competition in Long Beach, CA - has since grown to be a showcase that puts the spotlight on the world's most beautiful and most accomplished women.

South Carolina-born Miss Universe winner, Miriam Stevenson, stops for a publicity photo in 1954.

Following the evening gown competition, judges pick the Top 10 who go on to show off their best assets in the traditional and very popular swimsuit competition, from which the Top 5 are chosen... culminating in the crowning of Miss Universe.

The Miss Universe competition is traditionally televised In the U.S. on Fox and in Spanish on Telemundo, and airs in more than 160 territories and countries across the globe.

also see -> Miss USA | Miss America

DID YOU KNOW? Miss Universe fun facts

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• It was the mistake heard 'round the world in 2015 when host Steve Harvey misread his cue card and crowned the wrong winner -- Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutiérrez Arévalo. The mix-up was corrected when the crown was given to the rightful winner, Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

• Another uproar in 2015 saw Miss Lebanon Saly Greige and Miss Israel Doron Matalon posing and smiling for a selfie together during the preliminaries, setting off a firestorm of controversy in Lebanon where citizens are forbidden any contact with Israelis.

• The USA leads the world in Miss Universe crowns with eight. Venezuela follows with seven titles, Puerto Rico with five, and the Philippines and Sweden with three apiece.

• Venezuela is the only country to win back-to-back Miss Universe pageants when Stefanía Fernández was crowned in 2009 by the previous winner, Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza.

More about Miss Universe around The Web

Check out more information on the universe's most famous beauty pageant in video clips, pictures, interviews and contestant profiles, along with past winners, judges, and bit of related history and trivia at top sites devoted to Miss Universe ...

Miss Universe.com - Check out the pageant's official site with videos, photos, close-up interviews and profiles of all the contestants.

Miss Universe - Wikipedia - The online encyclopedia offering extensive information on the selection process, pageant history, a complete list of winners from 1952 to the present, related links.