Miss USA 2026 was the 75th Miss USA pageant, held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida on August 27, 2026.
Audrey Eckert of Nebraska crowned Justus Kelley of Virginia as her successor at the end of the event. This marked the state's first title in 56 years, with Kelley also becoming the oldest woman and the first married person to be crowned. Kelley will represent the United States at the Miss Universe 2026 pageant to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Background Location
On March 5, 2026, it was announced that the competition will take place in Miami, Florida, marking the first pageant in the state since 1986. A month later, it was announced the venue will be held at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
Broadcaster On June 23, 2026, it was announced the pageant was originally to be aired on The CW on what would be its third time in four years after having previously signed a three-year deal in 2024. However, on August 20, a week before the pageant, The CW pulled off from the schedule along with concurrent Teen USA pageant in favor for the Queen Beauty Network streaming platform for its second consecutive year and still scheduled as planned.
Selection of contestants The selection of contestants for the state pageants took place in May to July 2026. The first state pageant was Arkansas and held on May 3, 2026, the final state pageant was the tri-states of Maryland, New Jersey, and New York, was held on July 26, 2026.
Brittany Boltinhouse, the original Miss North Carolina USA 2026, dethroned weeks before the pageant was due to begin in Miami, due to past racism and homophobic slurs. She is replaced by Myla Hadley, who was the first runner-up of the pageant. This was the first time since the 2020 pageant where the original winner being replaced by an appointee, the last time was Katie Bozner of Wyoming.
Appointed contestants As with the previous year, several states in the competition can not hold traditional state pageants due to state directorship contract issues and will get via an open casting call conducting by the national organization. On May 15, 2026, it was announced sixteen states will give an open casting call with applications in separate parts.
The first Open Call began voting in early June and those states are Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont into three voting rounds each, the top two on each assigned group from the final voting round would make it to the judges round upon submitting their videos determining those hopefuls would select the eight women to appoint each of the eight state titles. The second Open call for the remaining eight states began voting at the end of June with the "Redemption Round" twist to have selected first batch eliminated hopefuls would have got a second chance, with new hopefuls began voting in mid-July; those states are Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming with the same format.
Results
Placement ContestantMiss USA 2026 Virginia – Justus Kelley1st Runner-Up Florida – Aileen Cerchiara2nd Runner-Up Pennsylvania – Elizabeth Voight3rd Runner-Up Iowa – Madeline Erickson4th Runner-Up Utah – Alayzia ChristopherTop 10 Colorado – Jordyn Owen § Connecticut – Jaeden Hamelly Nebraska – Emily Lenser Nevada – Natalie Bode New York – Jenna DykstraTop 20 Arizona – Kaitlyn Humphrey California – Acacia McBride Indiana – Eniolá Oke Kansas – Madilynn Becker § Kentucky – Brijet Finister Louisiana – Ella Clark § Minnesota – Rachel Betterley Montana – Lisbeth Fernández New Mexico – Cara Rgnonti South Carolina – Victoria Vesce § Voted into the Top 20 by viewers
Special awards AwardContestant Miss Photogenic California – Acacia McBride Chelsi Smith Congeniality Award Michigan – Amber UhlerBest in State Costume Idaho – Katie TetreaultPreliminary Best in Swimsuit Virginia – Justus KelleyCheslie Kryst Interview Award Iowa – Madeline EricksonFLIXXE Ambassador Award Oklahoma – Annamaria ThomasPeople's Choice Louisiana – Ella Clark
Pageant Format The process for determining the semi-finalists was similar to that of the previous year. The preliminary competition will consist of three segments: the swimsuit competition, the evening gown competition, and a closed-door interview, which will determine the first 16 semi-finalists to advance from the initial cut.
For the second consecutive year, an internet vote was held, in which the three contestants with the most votes will automatically advance to the semifinals.
The remaining 20 semi-finalists will compete in the swimsuit competition, from which 10 will be selected to advance. These 10 then will compete in the evening gown competition, narrowing the field to five finalists. Finally, the five finalists will face the final question round, after which the winner of Miss USA 2026 and her runners-up will be announced.
Judges Deshauna Barber — Miss USA 2016 from the District of Columbia and Miss Universe 2016 Top 9 finalist Madison Anderson — Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2019 and Miss Universe 2019 First Runner-Up Angelica Nwandu — Nigerian-American media personality and CEO of The Shade Room Michelle McLean — Miss Universe 1992 from Namibia Mia Michaels — Choreographer and judge on So You Think You Can Dance Steven Grossman — Celebrity Talent Manager & Producer at Untitled Entertainment
Legacy celebration As part of the pageant's 75th anniversary, a number of Miss USA titleholders from the second pageant in 1953 to the former titleholders are in attendance.
Myrna Hansen - Miss USA 1953 from Illinois Terry Lynn Huntingdon - Miss USA 1959 from California Marite Ozers - Miss USA 1963 from Illinois Bobbie Johnson - Miss USA 1964 from District of Columbia Sue Ann Downey - Miss USA 1965 from Ohio Maria Remenyi - Miss USA 1966 from California Cheryl Patton - Miss USA 1967 from Florida Wendy Dascomb - Miss USA 1969 from Virginia Tanya Wilson - Miss USA 1972 from Hawaii Karen Morrison - Miss USA 1974 from Illinois Barbara Peterson - Miss USA 1976 from Minnesota Kimberly Tomes - Miss USA 1977 from Texas Judi Andersen - Miss USA 1978 from Hawaii Jineane Ford - Miss USA 1980 from Arizona Terri Utley - Miss USA 1982 from Arkansas Julie Hayek - Miss USA 1983 from California Gretchen Polhemus - Miss USA 1989 from Texas Carole Gist - Miss USA 1990 from Michigan Shannon Marketic - Miss USA 1992 from California Kenya Moore - Miss USA 1993 from Michigan Lu Parker - Miss USA 1994 from South Carolina
Shanna Moakler - Miss USA 1995 from New York Brandi Sherwood - Miss USA 1997 from Idaho Shawnae Jebbia - Miss USA 1998 from Massachusetts Shauntay Hinton - Miss USA 2002 from District of Columbia Susie Castillo - Miss USA 2003 from Massachusetts Shandi Finnessey - Miss USA 2004 from Missouri Tara Conner - Miss USA 2006 from Kentucky Crystle Stewart - Miss USA 2008 from Texas Kristen Dalton - Miss USA 2009 from North Carolina Rima Fakih - Miss USA 2010 from Michigan Alyssa Campanella - Miss USA 2011 from California Nana Meriwether - Miss USA 2012 from Maryland Nia Sanchez - Miss USA 2014 from Nevada Olivia Jordan - Miss USA 2015 from Oklahoma Deshauna Barber - Miss USA 2016 from District of Columbia Sarah Rose Summers - Miss USA 2018 from Nebraska Cheslie Kryst - Miss USA 2019 from North Carolina Asya Branch - Miss USA 2020 from Mississippi Elle Smith - Miss USA 2021 from Kentucky Morgan Romano - Miss USA 2022 from North Carolina Noelia Voigt - Miss USA 2023 from Utah
Contestants All 51 contestants are competing for the title. State/DistrictContestantAgeHometownNotesAlabama27BirminghamAlaska26JuneauArizona23ScottsdaleArkansas23Siloam SpringsPreviously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2020Top 16 at Miss Teen USA 2020California28CalabasasColorado†30Connecticut30New LondonDelawareJulia Hatoum24HockessinDistrict of Columbia28Washington, D.C.Florida26TampaGeorgia† 36Southside, ALHawaii23WaiʻanaeIdaho†30EagleIllinois21BarringtonPreviously Miss Illinois Teen USA 2023 Top 20 at Miss Teen USA 2023Daughter of Miss Illinois USA 1998 Mandy Lane LewandowskiIndiana21BrownsburgIowa22AnkenyPreviously Miss Iowa Teen USA 2023 Top 20 at Miss Teen USA 2023Kansas22HeringtonPreviously Miss Kansas Teen USA 2021Kentucky†36Stockton, CALouisiana24Baton RougeMaine25BiddefordMaryland35BaltimoreMassachusetts28West SpringfieldMichigan†41Tampa, FLMinnesota35HastingsPreviously Miss Minnesota 2015 under her maiden name Rachel LatuffMississippi† 27Brownsville, TXMissouri22BarnhartPreviously Miss Missouri Teen USA 2023Top 20 at Miss Teen USA 2023Montana† 28Miami, FLNebraska25ElkhornNevada27Las VegasNew Hampshire†34Southbury, CTPreviously Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2011 under her maiden name Samantha SojkaNew Jersey25MiddletownNew Mexico26Rio RanchoNew York30New York CityPreviously Miss Supranational USA 20241st runner-up at Miss Supranational 2024North CarolinaMyla Hadley24CharlotteOriginally first runner-up, later assuming the title after winner Brittany Boltinhouse was stripped of her title in August 2026 due to a violation of conduct.North Dakota25HopePreviously Miss North Dakota 2024Ohio†34DaytonOklahomaAnnamaria Thomas22MiamiOregon†24Clovis, CAPennsylvania†26FredericksburgRhode Island33East ProvidenceSouth Carolina33CharlestonSouth Dakota28Sioux FallsTennessee†26ClarksvilleTexas†20San AntonioUtah30Park CityVermont†31Whitestone, NYVirginia31ArlingtonWashington† 35 Pearl City, HIWest Virginia25West LibertyWisconsin23Lyndon StationPreviously Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 2020Wyoming†30Austin, TX † The chosen delegate was appointed from an Open Casting Call
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