‘This is not the end’: Miss Universe Singapore 2026 Vion Tan on not competing in Miss Universe competition in Puerto Rico
Miss Universe Singapore 2026 Vion Erico Tan will not compete in the international pageant in Puerto Rico this November, following an ongoing dispute over franchise rights involving six Southeast Asian countries.
The Miss Universe Singapore Organisation (MUSO) said in a statement last Thursday (22 Oct) that it supports the decision by Miss Grand International (MGI).
A day earlier, MGI announced that representatives from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos would not travel to the 75th Miss Universe competition.
Source: @missuniversesingapore_official on Instagram
The announcement came after Ms Tan shared her disappointment on Instagram on 21 Oct, saying she needed time to process the news.
Miss Universe Singapore hopes Vion Tan can compete in 2027
In its Instagram statement on Thursday, MUSO said the development was “deeply disappointing”, particularly for Ms Tan, who had been preparing to represent Singapore on the international stage.
The organisation said it had been actively preparing for her participation in Puerto Rico since she was crowned on 13 Oct.
It added that no woman who had earned the honour of representing her country should be denied a fair chance to compete because of circumstances beyond her control.
MUSO also thanked MGI chairman Nawat Itsaragrisil and the organisation for prioritising the safety, dignity and well-being of the six representatives.
“Vion will not be representing Singapore in Puerto Rico this November, but her Miss Universe journey is far from over,” it said.
The organisation said Ms Tan would continue her preparations with the aspiration of representing Singapore at Miss Universe 2027, which will be held in a different host country.
Vion Tan says news hit her harder than she expected
Ms Tan addressed her supporters in an Instagram post, saying she had just received the news and needed time to gather her thoughts.
Source: @vioncotan on Instagram
“Honestly, it has hit me harder than I can put into words,” she wrote.
She said the opportunity meant more than competing for a crown, as it would have allowed her to carry Singapore’s name onto an international stage and share the country’s culture and stories.
“I may not know what the next chapter holds, but one thing I know for certain is that this will not make me falter,” she added.
“If anything, it has made me more determined to show the world what Singapore is capable of.”
Source: @mexicanaexcellence on Instagram
A pageant pop-culture account also shared an image featuring representatives from the six affected countries, including Ms Tan and Miss Universe Malaysia 2026 Euni Wong.
The image carried the words “this is not the end, this is only the beginning”, alongside the caption “76’”, seemingly referring to the next edition of the competition.
Dispute over Miss Universe franchise rights
The decision follows a dispute that became public in September, when JKN Universe, the company that holds the Miss Universe brand and licensing rights, said it did not recognise franchise agreements involving the six countries.
Source: Miss Universe website
JKN Universe maintained that Miss Universe Eastern Pte Ltd and entities associated with Mr Nawat lacked the authority to grant or issue the relevant licences. It consequently considered the agreements invalid.
Mr Nawat, who heads Miss Universe Eastern, rejected the exclusion notice and maintained that it had no legal effect. Miss Universe Eastern has also disputed JKN Universe’s position on the franchise arrangements.
In its latest statement, which was posted on Facebook on 21 Oct by Miss Universe Thailand, MGI argued that its contractual rights were separate from any personal disagreements involving Mr Nawat and individuals associated with the Miss Universe organisation.
MUSO also posted the statement on its Instagram account on 22 Oct.
It said the six contestants should not become “collateral damage” in a corporate dispute in which they had no involvement.
Source: @missuniversesingapore_official on Instagram
MGI says six representatives will not travel to Puerto Rico
In its statement on 21 Oct, MGI said it had decided not to send the six representatives after “consultation with the relevant parties, national organisations and the six representatives”.
The company said it could not obtain sufficient assurance that the competition organisers would accept, accredit, and treat the contestants equally and respectfully.
It maintained that it made the decision to protect the contestants’ safety, dignity, and legitimate interests, and that others should not interpret this action as a voluntary withdrawal or a surrender of its contractual rights.
MGI also said the six women would retain their national titles and continue their responsibilities in their respective countries.
The company said it reserved its legal rights in the dispute and could pursue legal action over any alleged unlawful interference with its contractual rights or business interests.
Source: @missuniversesingapore_official on Instagram
The 75th Miss Universe final is scheduled to take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 24 Nov.
Also read: S’pore among 6 countries that may be barred from Miss Universe 2026 amid franchise dispute
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Featured image adapted from @roadtomissuniverseof on Instagram and @mexicanaexcellence on Instagram.
