Malaysia and five other national Miss Universe franchises could be excluded from this year’s 75th Miss Universe pageant amid a dispute over the licensing rights to the beauty pageant brand.
According to Bangkok Post, a document issued in the name of the Miss Universe organisation stated that JKN Universe LLC does not recognise the franchise arrangements for Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore.
Khaosod English reported that the organisation said contestants representing the six countries would not be eligible to compete in Miss Universe 2026.
The disputed franchise arrangements cover Miss Universe Thailand from 2025 to 2029, while those involving Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore relate to the 2026 edition.
JKN Universe LLC alleged that the arrangements were made by Nawat Itsaragrisil and/or entities linked to him through agreements that it does not recognise as legally valid.
It said the relevant parties had not entered into franchise or licensing agreements with JKN Universe LLC that granted them the right to use or operate under the Miss Universe brand.
The organisation also said Miss Universe Eastern Pte Ltd was not authorised to grant, transfer or sublicense rights to operate under the Miss Universe brand. It described arrangements made through the company as “void ab initio”, meaning invalid from the outset.
JKN Universe LLC said it was responsible for granting or approving rights connected to the Miss Universe brand and that agreements made outside its framework did not establish valid rights to use the brand.
The dispute could affect Thailand’s representative, Tharina Botes, as well as contestants from the other five countries if the organisation maintains its position that they are ineligible for the 75th Miss Universe competition.
JKN Universe LLC also rejected recent claims concerning its financial position, saying information about its internal finances had been circulated publicly without being audited or independently verified.
The organisation further alleged that false, misleading or incomplete information had been shared on social media and said it reserved the right to pursue civil or criminal action over such statements, as well as matters involving the alleged unauthorised use of its intellectual property and brand.
Meanwhile, Miss Universe Thailand, which is operated by Miss Grand International PCL, rejected JKN Universe LLC’s position.
In a statement, the organisation said it stood by the rights of the six affected countries and maintained that MGI PCL was also a rights holder and/or authorised operator of Miss Universe licences.
The dispute comes just ahead of the 75th Miss Universe pageant, with competing claims over the validity of the six national franchise arrangements yet to be resolved.
