Thu Ngan exits Miss Intercontinental 2026 despite pre-pageant predictions
VOV.VN - Vietnamese representative Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan finished in the Top 23 at the Miss Intercontinental 2026 grand final held in Egypt on January 29, falling short of expectations after being widely tipped by international beauty websites as a strong contender for the crown.
Despite the early exit, Thu Ngan earned the Best National Costume award with “Châu Ro Cầu Mùa” (Chau Ro Harvest Prayer), designed by Pham Thi Ngoc Trang.
The costume, made from recycled fibres, draws inspiration from the cultural life of the Chau Ro ethnic community, which is known for its strong sense of solidarity, close bond with nature and long-standing efforts to preserve traditional values. It features three symbolic colours: black representing Mother Earth, red symbolising fire, and white reflecting light.
Born in 2003, Thu Ngan stands 1.72m tall and is a graduate of the Faculty of Public Relations at Nam Can Tho University. She was crowned Miss Nam Can Tho University 2022 and finished as second runner-up at Miss Tay Do 2023.
In 2025, she claimed the first runner-up title at Miss Grand Vietnam and was subsequently selected to represent Vietnam at Miss Intercontinental 2026.
The Miss Intercontinental 2026 crown went to 18-year-old Varvara Yakovenko of Russia. The first runner-up title was awarded to a contestant from Cuba, while representatives from Thailand and the Philippines secured the second and fourth runner-up positions, respectively. Contestants from Tanzania, Ecuador and Kenya were named third, fifth and sixth runners-up.
The organisers also presented regional titles, including Miss Intercontinental Asia-Oceania (Thailand), Miss Intercontinental Europe (Russia), Miss Intercontinental South America (Ecuador), Miss Intercontinental North America (Cuba) and Miss Intercontinental Africa (Kenya).
First held in 1971, Miss Intercontinental is among the world’s longest-running beauty pageants. This year marks its 53rd edition, drawing more than 50 contestants from around the globe each year. Vietnam has maintained a strong presence at the competition, with Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc crowned Miss Intercontinental 2022, Le Nguyen Ngoc Hang finishing second in the 2023 edition, and Bui Khanh Linh named third runner-up in 2024.
Thu Ngan tipped for top finish at Miss Intercontinental 2026
VOV.VN - Many international beauty websites have named Vietnamese representative Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan as a strong contender for the crown at Miss Intercontinental 2026, which is currently underway in Egypt.
