Could India make history with a back-to-back win? Or could Bahrain be the first Middle Eastern country to take home a crown?
The Miss Universe 2022 pageant may be postponed to January next year, but pageant fans and followers are already picking their favourites, speculating on who they think could win the competition.
Scroll through the gallery above to see Miss Universe beauty queens crowned in 2022 so far
In their latest ranking, YouTube channel Crown Sisters, which aims to deliver "fresh and fair" pageant news, places Miss India Divita Rai on top. Miss Bahrain, Evlin Khalifa is at No 16, while Miss Universe Puerto Rico, Ashley Ann Carino (No 2) and Miss Philippines Celeste Cortesi (No 5) also rank high.
Sash Factor, another pageant site, places Rai at No 10, while Khalifa comes in at No 12.
Meanwhile, Missotopia, also a pageant fan site, has India at No 9 and Bahrain at No 20.
Following Harnaaz Sandhu's win of the Miss Universe 2021, all eyes are on Rai, 23, an architect from Karnataka in South India, who won the Indian pageant in August. If Rai wins the crown, she will make history as the second country to win a crown back-to-back.
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Divita Rai, 23, winner of Miss Diva 2022. All photos: @missdivaorg / Instagram -
Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu, right, crowns her successor. -
Miss Diva is India's national pageant and Rai will now represent India in the Miss Universe 2022 pageant. -
Divita Rai, Miss Diva 2022, with last year's winner Harnaaz Sandhu, who is also the reigning Miss Universe 2021. -
Divita Rai is an architect and a model. -
Miss Diva Supranational 2022 winner Pragnya Ayyagari. She will represent India at the global Miss Supranational pageant. -
Miss Popular Choice 2022 award winner Ojasvi Sharma, left, was chosen via audience votes. -
The three top prize winners. From left, Pragnya Ayyagari, Miss Diva Supranational 2022; Divita Rai, Miss Diva Universe 2022; and Ojasvi Sharma, Miss Popular Choice 2022. -
All the contestants of Miss Diva India 2022. -
Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, awarded with the Pride of India trophy by Vineet Jain, managing director of 'The Times of India'.
Only Venezuela has achieved that feat before, winning in 2008 and 2009. The pageant-mad country has won the Miss Universe title a total of seven times, second only to the US, which has won eight.
"We have a system placed especially for Miss Universe in observing and analysing the probability for a contestant's placement based on the criteria on what the Miss Universe Organisation is looking for," Brix Vera from Sash Factor tells The National.
Miss Bahrain Khalifa has "huge potential to break and make history", she says.
"During Miss Universe Bahrain 2022, we noticed Evlin Khalifa as the strongest on her batch, and with the proper training and guidance, her placement at Miss Universe 2022 is not impossible. We also have taken note on her modelling career as well as her charitable back stories."
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Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 Evlin Khalifa is a pianist and professional model who is half Bahraini and half Russian. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Evlin Khalifa was crowned Miss Universe Bahrain last year. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
The moment Khalifa was crowned. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Khalifa, from Riffa, is the second beauty queen from Bahrain. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Seven finalists of the Bahrain national pageant. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Khalifa competes in the evening gown wearing a dress by Filipino designer Furne One whose Amato label is based in Dubai. AP -
Miss Bahrain Evlin Khalifa walks on stage in a pink burkini during the preliminary competition at the 71st Miss Universe in New Orleans. AFP -
Evlin Khalifa arrived in New Orleans for the Miss Universe pageant wearing a black and white modern abaya by Harvey Cencit. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
The Bahrain beauty queen departed from Dubai, wearing a long, blue-feathered couture jacket by Furne One over blue jeans. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
The current Miss Universe Bahrain ahead of her trip to the Miss Universe pageant. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Evlin Khalifa is a pianist and model. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Evlin Khalifa in elegant Middle Eastern-style fashion. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Evlin Khalifa says she is committed to dressing more modestly than other contestants. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
From right: Miss Universe Bahrain Evlin Khalifa, Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi, photographer BJ Pascual, Miss Universe Bahrain national director Josh Yugen, Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa and Ian Borromeo, the co-founder of Yugen Group. Photo: Yugen Group
While by no means official, these rankings are not to be taken lightly, says Josh Yugen, the national director for Miss Universe Bahrain.
"These pageant bloggers serve as the soul of the pageant industry as they are true fans of the competition," he says. "They have been following every pageant, from the day a contestant applies for their national pageant until they compete and represent their countries. Most of them are well-informed and have every information about past winners, their looks and even the answers of each candidate.
"It is safe to say that pageant bloggers are the unofficial jury of the pageants as they have in-depth information and analysis about the competition. And most of them can accurately predict the winners."
Yugen, who is also the chief executive of Yugen Group based out of Dubai, says he's excited to help improve representation of women from the Gulf on a global stage.
"Miss Universe Bahrain is the first of its kind to represent the region and this is part of what we are fighting for — representation," he tells The National.
"If you look into Hollywood movies, Disney films and even international Netflix shows or fashion shows, there is not enough representation of women in the Gulf, most are stereotypes that they are covered, intimidating or unapproachable.
"But the women in the Gulf have their own charm, their own beauty and their own personalities that contribute to the modernisation of the society. They are fighters, innovators and most importantly kind-hearted women who also deserve big representation on the Miss Universe stage."
New Orleans in Louisiana will play host to the Miss Universe 2022 pageant, to be held on January 14.
While a number of countries are yet to name their representatives, 70 contestants have already been chosen through national competitions.
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
