Miss Universe 2025: Mexico's Fatima Bosch wins after host's public 'insult' drama

Fatima Bosch Fernandez of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe 2025 on Friday, a dramatic victory for a 25-year-old at the centre of the turbulent 74th staging of the popular beauty pageant in Bangkok who stood up to public bullying from one of the hosts.

Miss Mexico was crowned Miss Universe in Thailand on Friday, achieving victory despite facing significant embarrassment, including a highly public walkout after she was criticised heavily by one of the beauty pageant's organisers.

Making the final stage alongside Miss Mexico were contestants from the Ivory Coast, the Philippines, Thailand and Venezuela.

Selected from more than 120 women vying for the title in a contest considered one of the "big four" of global beauty pageants.

The newly crowned winner told a press conference on Friday that she would like to be remembered as "a Miss Universe that wasn't afraid to be herself" and "a person that changed, a little bit, the prototype of what is a Miss Universe".

Bosch staged a dramatic walkout this month from a meeting where she was lambasted by Miss Universe Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had called Bosch an "example of how we women should speak out" in the face of aggression after the incident with Nawat.

Mexico’s Fatima Bosch, Thailand’s Praveenar Singh and Venezuela’s Stephany Abasali stand together as they wait for the final results.

Fatima Bosch of Mexico reacts next to other contestants after being crowned Miss Universe 2025 during the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok.

Fatima Bosch of Mexico reacts as she is crowned Miss Universe 2025 during the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok, Thailand.

While India’s Manika Vishwakarma impressed with her elegance and poise, she narrowly missed out on a Top 12 spot at the Miss Universe pageant.