As the Miss Universe Organization prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary, CEO Ronald Day says the landmark edition in Puerto Rico will honor the pageant's legacy while looking firmly toward its future.
Speaking with this reporter while promoting his new book El Poder del Enfoque ("The Power of Focus"), the former Telemundo executive offered a glimpse into preparations for what is expected to be one of the most closely watched Miss Universe competitions in years.
"We're moving full speed ahead in Puerto Rico," Day said. "We're very excited. I can't tell you too much because there are still surprises, but I can promise you that for the 75th anniversary we're going all out."
The pageant will take place in Puerto Rico on November 24, returning to one of Miss Universe's most successful host destinations. The island has produced five Miss Universe winners and has long been considered one of the competition's spiritual homes, where pageantry remains part of the national culture.
The activities in La Isla del Encanto will start early in the month with a series of special activities during the weeks of competition, including cultural experiences, community initiatives, media events, partner activations, and celebrations that will further highlight the beauty, hospitality, and vibrant spirit of Puerto Rico.
Then, on Saturday the 21st, the candidate chosen from each country will take the stage in her national costume, a celebration of the world's cultures and national pride. On Sunday, November 22, the Preliminary Competition will take place, where the finalists begin to emerge. "The contestants prepare hard for months and everything kicks into high gear once they arrive there. People don't realize the pressure they are under and the effort they put in in the weeks before the pageant," Day highlighted.
This anniversary of Miss Universe also arrives at a pivotal moment for the organization.
A milestone after a turbulent year
Miss Universe enters its diamond anniversary with an opportunity to reset its image following one of the most controversial editions in the pageant's modern history.
The 2025 competition generated weeks of headlines after public disagreements involving pageant officials, allegations from former judges that finalists had been selected in advance, and criticism over the transparency of the competition. Miss Universe denied claims that the outcome had been predetermined, but the controversy overshadowed the victory of Mexico's Fátima Bosch and sparked debate among pageant fans around the world.
While Day did not address those events during the interview, the 2026 edition represents the organization's first opportunity to move beyond last year's turmoil and refocus attention on the competition itself.
That challenge falls to a television executive who has spent nearly four decades producing live entertainment.
Long before becoming the head of the Miss Universe Organization, Ronald Day helped shape the way millions of Hispanics consumed entertainment television.
During a career spanning nearly 37 years, he held senior leadership positions at Univision and later Telemundo, where he oversaw many of the network's highest-profile entertainment properties, including La Casa de los Famosos, Exatlón Estados Unidos, Top Chef VIP, awards shows and major live television events.
His connection to Miss Universe, however, began years before joining the organization.
Telemundo became the Spanish-language home of Miss Universe in 2019 after regaining the broadcast rights, making the pageant one of the network's marquee annual events. During Day's tenure leading Telemundo's entertainment division, the partnership expanded beyond the annual competition. In 2025, the network launched Miss Universe Latina, El Reality, a televised competition designed to select a Latina representative from the United States for Miss Universe, further strengthening the relationship between the broadcaster and the global pageant brand.
Only months after stepping down from Telemundo in 2025, Day accepted the opportunity to lead Miss Universe.
"I had only been away from Telemundo for four months when Miss Universe came along," he told this reporter. "It's a wonderful company. My motivational talks, my book and Miss Universe all complement each other. I'm very happy."
A pageant with global reach
Founded in 1952, Miss Universe remains one of the world's most recognized live entertainment events, attracting contestants from more than 100 countries and territories each year and reaching audiences across Latin America, Asia, Europe and the United States.
The competition has evolved significantly over the past several years. Under new ownership, eligibility rules expanded to include married women, mothers and contestants over age 28, reflecting an effort to modernize one of the entertainment industry's oldest franchises.
The 75th anniversary is expected to bring together more than 100 delegates, with national pageants already underway across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
As always, Latin America is expected to dominate much of the conversation.
Powerhouse pageant countries including Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil and the Dominican Republic have already begun selecting or are in the process of choosing their representatives. Venezuela remains one of the most successful countries in Miss Universe history with eight crowns, while Puerto Rico has won five titles despite its comparatively small population.
