Everything to know about Mexico's Fatima Bosch, crowned Miss Universe 2025

Mexico's Fatima Bosch has been crowned Miss Universe 2025 after a string of controversies that marred her way to the top. The 25-year-old pageant winner was crowned the 74th Miss Universe during the ceremony held in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 21, 2025, bringing the title to Mexico five years after Andrea Meza’s victory in 2020.

Bosch was one of the five contestants to reach the final and was crowned by Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark, who won the crown in 2024. Thailand's Praveenar Singh was crowned the first runner-up. The other three contestants were Miss Venezuela Stephany Adriana Abasali Nasser, Miss Philippines Ahtisa Manalo, and Miss Ivory Coast Olivia Yace.

According to Gulf News, Fatima Bosch Fernández was born in Santiago de Teapa, Tabasco. She reportedly studied fashion design at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico. Following this, she was enrolled at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan. The pageant winner is an ardent supporter of sustainable fashion and recycles discarded garments to make clothes.

Bosch has been vocal about being bullied in school for her ADHD, dyslexia, and hyperactivity. She spends her time doing volunteer work to help migrants and children with cancer.

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Exploring the controversies that Fatima Bosch faced this pageant season

Fatima Bosch's journey to Miss Universe 2025 was marred with hardship and controversy. In September 2025, the 25-year-old was booed when she was crowned Miss Universe Mexico, making history as the first woman from Tabasco to achieve the feat. According to Gulf News, many believed that Yoana Gutiérrez, Miss Jalisco, was the expected winner, including fellow contestants.

Only four contestants congratulated Fatima Bosch when she won the title. In a statement to Us Weekly en Español at the time, Bosch spoke about her fellow contestants and her reaction to being booed on stage, saying:

“I’d rather have four hugs from people I know genuinely care for me. Lorena, Fernanda Puma, Emiré, and Elena are queens in every sense of the word. Nothing and no one will keep me from enjoying this crown." "When something like this happens as an adult, you can’t help but feel like that vulnerable child in the classroom again. But we can’t give anyone the power to affect our mood. If you’ve earned the crown, you worked for it,” she continued.

Weeks before she won the crown, Fatima Bosch faced another controversy that sparked a walkout with her fellow contestants. During a pre-pageant sash ceremony in Bangkok on November 4, Miss Universe Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly criticized her for not promoting Thailand on social media, allegedly calling her "dumb" for following her organization's orders.

According to the BBC, he also called security on her after she attempted to defend herself and threatened to disqualify any contestant who supported her. Following this, Bosch walked out of the room, with many fellow contestants joining her in solidarity. Speaking to reporters at the time, Bosch said the director's remarks to her were "unfair," adding:

“He called me dumb because he has issues with the organization, and I think that’s unfair. I think the world needs to see this, because we are empowered women and this platform is for our voices. No one can silence it. No one will silence me.”

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Fatima Bosch's first brush with pageantry came after she won the Flor de Oro crown in Tabasco in 2018. Bosch currently has over 2.1 million followers on Instagram.

Edited by Juhi Marzia