Trump’s travel restrictions threaten African representation at Miss Universe 2026

As contestants arrive in Puerto Rico, visa restrictions have forced two African delegates to withdraw and left two others awaiting approval.

Four African women spent months preparing to represent their countries on the Miss Universe stage. Two have already been forced to withdraw, and the other two still don’t know whether they will get there.

The Associated Press reported that the contestants from Zambia and the Republic of Congo have pulled out of this year’s competition after failing to secure visas to travel to Puerto Rico. Delegates from South Sudan and Zimbabwe are still waiting on approval as the pageant gets underway.

The obstacle is the Trump administration’s sweeping travel restrictions, which affect dozens of countries, many of them in Africa. Because Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, contestants must clear U.S. entry rules to compete.

Last December, the administration extended restrictions to more nations, including Zambia and Zimbabwe. It kept in place a full suspension on entry for nationals of the Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Zambia’s organizers made their frustration clear when they announced that their representative, Mubanga Pamela Hatyoka, would not compete. “She earned her crown, she earned her title, and she deserves the opportunity to represent the nation she proudly serves,” they said.

The loss stings especially for the Republic of Congo. Georgina Kambongo made history as the Central African nation’s first-ever Miss Universe representative, only to see that milestone stall at the border. National organizers said her inability to travel stems solely from the U.S. restrictions.

Zimbabwe’s Roseanna Hall is refusing to concede. In a social media post, she wrote that American visa challenges had delayed her journey but that “the fight is not over.” After months of preparation, she said, she remains confident that her faith will carry her through.

In South Sudan, organizers said Adut Deng’s participation is still uncertain despite months of work to secure the necessary documents and approvals. “South Sudan deserves to be seen, heard, and represented,” they said, adding that she carries the hopes and resilience of a nation.

For a pageant built on the idea of global representation, the absences are hard to miss. Black women from across the continent have used the Miss Universe platform to spotlight their countries, and travel policy is now deciding who gets that chance.

The 75th edition of the competition is expected to draw as many as 120 contestants. Delegates began arriving in Puerto Rico on Sunday for rehearsals. The national costume competition is set for Nov. 21, followed by swimsuit and evening gown rounds the next day, and the winner will be crowned on Nov. 24.