There will be no Miss Universe pageant this year, with the 2022 winner likely to be crowned in the first half of next year, sources have confirmed to The National. An official announcement is set to be made soon.
While no reason has been given for the postponement, it is probable that two Miss Universe pageants will be held next year, with the 2023 winner being crowned later in the year.
An internal memo sent to national directors and seen by Puerto Rican daily El Vocero de Puerto Rico simply reads: "We are going to hold the Miss Universe event in the first quarter of 2023, we will announce it soon."
The news effectively extends the reign of Harnaaz Sandhu from India, who was crowned Miss Universe 2021 in December last year. But the longest-reigning Miss Universe is Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, who won the tile in 2019.
Tunzi reigned for 525 days after the 2020 pageant was cancelled owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. She crowned her successor Andrea Meza from Mexico in May 2021, in turn making Meza's the shortest reign in history. Meza passed on her crown to Sandhu at a pageant in Israel in December last year after 211 days.
More than 50 countries, from the UK to Ukraine and Guatemala to Ghana, have named their representatives for the 71st Miss Universe, the location for which is yet to revealed. In the region, Miss Universe Bahrain will be named on September 11, according to organisers.
Last week, architect and model Divita Rai was crowned as Miss Universe India, better known as Miss Diva, with Sandhu on hand to name her Indian successor.
Scroll through the gallery below for pictures of Miss Universe 2022 contestants who have already been crowned, from India to Lebanon
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Miss Universe Turkey 2022 is Aleyana Sirin. Photo: Instagram / Aleyanasirinn -
Miss Universe Italy 2022 is Virginia Stablum. Photo: / Instagram / Virginia.Stablum -
Miss Universe Kyrgyzstan 2022 is Altynai Botoyarova. Photo: Instagram / botoyarova_altynai -
Evlin Khalifa, 24, is the second Miss Universe Bahrain. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Miss Universe Spain, Alicia Faubel, comes from Alicante and has lived in Dubai and the Philippines. Photo: Instagram / alicia.aliccia -
Divita Rai, 23, winner of India's Miss Diva Universe 2022. Photo: Miss Diva -
Sophiya Bhujel was crowned Oriflame Miss Universe Nepal 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Nepal -
Ndavi Nokeri, winner of Miss Universe South Africa 2022. Photo: Miss South Africa -
Anna Sueangam-iam was named Miss Universe Thailand 2022. Photo: Miss Universe -
Balsam Hussein when she was declared Miss Iraq 2022. Azhar Al-Rubaie for The National -
Yasmina Zaytoun after being crowned Miss Lebanon 2022 at Forum De Beirut. EPA -
Noky Simbani was crowned Miss Universe Great Britain 2022. Photo: Instagram / Miss Universe Great Britain -
Miss Ukraine 2022 is Viktoria Apanasenko, first runner-up from last year's contest. There was no pageant held this year owing to the war in the country. Photo: Instagram / Viktoria Apanasenko -
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau has been named Miss Universe Vietnam 2022. Photo: Facebook / Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau -
Filipino-Italian beauty queen Celeste Cortesi was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 in Manila. EPA-EFE -
Bhutan is marking its pageant debut this year and Tashi Choden is the country's first beauty queen. Photo: Tashi Choden -
Laksmi Suardana took the Puteri Indonesia 2022 crown, becoming the first contestant from Bali to enter Miss Universe. Photo: Laksmi Shari De Neefe Suardana -
Miss Universe Ghana 2022 Engracia Afua K Mofuman was one of the first women to be crowned in 2022, in order to compete in the 71st Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Engracia Mofuman -
Hanna Kim, from Seoul, will represent South Korea in the next Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Hanna Ming -
The first and last time the Seychelles competed in Miss Universe was 1995 and so, after that 27-year hiatus, Gabriella Gonthier, from Mahe, will be representing her home country. Photo: Gabriella Gonthier/ Miss University Africa -
Amelia Tu, from Vancouver, winner of Miss Universe Canada 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Canada -
Miss Universe Jamaica 2022, Toshami Calvin, 26, is the cousin of Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh. Photo: Instagram / officialmissuniversejamaica
Early in August, the Miss Universe Organisation made history by introducing a major rule change for eligibility. Starting with the 72nd pageant, the annual competition will accept married women and mothers.
In an internal memo seen by The National, the organisation says it has always strived to evolve with the times and the latest decision was the natural next step.
"We all believe that women should have agency over their lives and that a human's personal decisions should not be a barrier to their success," the memo said.
Previously, only single women aged between 18 and 28, who have never been married or had children, were allowed to apply.
The contest has been changing with the times. Last year, Miss Universe Bahrain made history by choosing to walk the swimsuit round in fully-covered sportswear.
The Miss Universe Organisation, which operates out of New York, also owns the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, besides the global Miss Universe pageant.
How Lebanon's Mouawad became the Miss Universe crown jeweller — in pictures
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Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu of India, wearing the Power of Unity crown crafted by Lebanese jeweller Mouawad. EPA -
Featuring interwoven petals, leaves and vines all crafted in 18-karat gold and set with white diamonds, the highlight of the Power of Unity crown is a 62.83 carat canary diamond placed in the centre. Photo: Mouawad -
The Miss Universe Power of Unity crown is valued at between $4 million and $5 million. Photo: Mouawad -
Fred Mouawad is the co-guardian of Mouawad, in partnership with his brothers Alain and Pascal. Photo: Mouawad -
Mouawad also designs the crown for Miss Universe Thailand. For 2022, its creation is named the Power of Resilience crown. Photo: Mouawad -
Fred Mouawad at the unveiling of the Power of Resilience crown for Miss Universe Thailand. Photo: Mouawad -
Miss Universe Thailand 2022, Anna Sueangam-iam, wearing the Power of Resilience crown. Photo: Miss Universe -
Miss Universe 2020, Andrea Meza, right, crowns India's Harnaaz Sandhu as Miss Universe 2021 during the 70th Miss Universe pageant in December. AP -
Andrea Meza winning the Miss Universe 2020 crown at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on May 16, 2021 in Hollywood, Florida. Getty Images -
Miss Universe 2020, Andrea Meza of Mexico, at the Empire State Building in New York May 2021. AP -
Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa, was the first to wear the Mouawad Power of Unity crown. Photo: Miss Universe -
Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi with the Power of Unity crown. Photo: Mouawad
