Hanoi [Vietnam], September 19: On September 18th, JKN Universe LLC, representing the Miss Universe Organization, clarified the controversies surrounding the competition. Specifically, they stated that Vietnam, along with five other countries, does not meet the eligibility requirements to compete in the 2026 pageant.
Rumors are swirling that Vietnam has lost the right to compete in the Miss Universe pageant.
On the official Miss Universe Instagram page , JKN Universe LLC (the operator of Miss Universe Organization, abbreviated MUO) issued a statement regarding the use of the Miss Universe brand and licensing agreements for the competition in several countries.
According to the announcement, Miss Universe Eastern Pte. Ltd. (operated by Nawat Itsaragrisil) does not have the legal authority to grant or transfer operating rights, licenses, or franchise rights for the Miss Universe brand in any country. Therefore, JKN Universe LLC declares that it does not recognize any agreements signed through the aforementioned entity. The company emphasizes that the licensing or authorization rights mentioned in this case belong to JKN Universe LLC.
The most concerning information concerns the direct impact on the Miss Universe rights in six Southeast Asian countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The announcement clarifies that franchise agreements in these six markets were allegedly made through Mr. Nawat or related entities without proper licensing from JKN Universe LLC.
"Given the false and misleading statements publicly made by Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil, as well as the lack of a valid contractual framework governing the alleged agreements that took place, JKN Universe LLC regrets to announce that contestants from the aforementioned countries will not be eligible to compete in the 75th Miss Universe pageant," the announcement stated.
Besides the franchising issue, JKN Universe LLC also refuted Mr. Nawat's recent statements regarding the financial situation of the Miss Universe Organization. The organization emphasized that some information recently published on social media has been unverified, inaccurate, or misleading. JKN also stated that they will take strong legal action against any actions they believe harm the reputation, business operations, and brand of Miss Universe.
Source: Thanh Nein Newspaper