MIC: Despite being criticized for being unremarkable, Thu Ngan is still predicted to be in the top ranks; another beauty queen drops out?

First runner-up Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan, representing Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2026 pageant, is attracting attention from international audiences with her continuous appearances at side events and preliminary competitions in Egypt.

Many beauty websites predict that Thu Ngan could make it into the top 3 in the final round thanks to her stable performance and well-invested image. This year's Miss Intercontinental competition attracted more than 60 contestants from many countries and territories.

During the sash ceremony, Thu Ngan wore a white evening gown designed in a modern and elegant style, helping her impress both the audience and the organizers. The moment of receiving the sash also marked the beginning of the official competition journey for the Vietnamese representative. Prior to this, she had spent time practicing catwalk skills, English communication skills, and preparing her outfits with her team. Some reports indicate that the beauty queen brought several different outfit layouts to showcase her diverse style throughout the competition.

In the swimsuit competition held on January 20th (Vietnam time), Thu Ngan performed with a relaxed and confident spirit. She appeared in a two-piece swimsuit with a gold and white pattern, among the last contestants to perform. Her combination of stage presence and facial expressions earned her high praise among the Asian contestants. Furthermore, before the swimsuit competition, Thu Ngan received additional guidance from runner-up Ngoc Hang on performance techniques, posture adjustments, and catwalk techniques to improve her performance. Having someone to share practical experience with was considered an advantage, helping her maintain consistent performance in the preliminary rounds.

Alongside the swimsuit competition, the contestants also participated in closed-door interviews with the judges and an evening gown performance. Thu Ngan was noted for constantly changing her outfits and makeup style to create a unique impression on the judges and the audience. Meanwhile, the beauty community offered various opinions on Vietnam's chances at Miss Intercontinental this year.

Alongside positive predictions, some opinions suggest that Thu Ngan needs to make a stronger breakthrough to differentiate herself from previous Vietnamese representatives. Vietnam has left a significant mark on this competition, winning the crown in 2022, second runner-up in 2023, and third runner-up in 2024. This achievement has led audiences to have higher expectations for Thu Ngan in the 2026 competition.

While the Vietnamese representative was having a relatively smooth journey, the competition also witnessed an unexpected incident when contestant Samantha Samaka – representing Rwanda – had an accident during an off-road driving experience on sand. Reports indicate Samaka fell into the sand and lay there for a while before being checked on by staff. The incident attracted attention from the international beauty community because Samaka was the first representative from Rwanda to participate in Miss Intercontinental. Following the accident, information emerged that Samaka had withdrawn from the competition, but the specific reason has not been confirmed by the organizers. Previously, there have been cases of contestants withdrawing due to visa issues, demonstrating that participation in international competitions still involves many unforeseen factors beyond the professional aspects.

According to the announced schedule, the Miss Intercontinental 2026 final is expected to take place on January 29th. In addition to the main competition rounds, viewers are also allowed to participate in online voting for the People's Choice Award – an award that automatically grants a contestant a spot in the top 7. This voting is seen as an opportunity for the Vietnamese representative to gain an advantage alongside the judges' scores.

Miss Intercontinental reveals potential contestants; will Thu Ngan find it difficult to compete? Bảo Nam11:26:17 13/01/2026Miss Intercontinental is one of the oldest beauty pageants in the world, first held in 1971 and attracting contestants from over 70 countries. In recent years, Vietnam has achieved many successes in this competition.