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TheBig Four or theBig League Pageants[1] refers to thefour major international beauty pageants for women —Miss World,Miss Universe,Miss International andMiss Earth.[2][3][4][5][6]
The group was first described by theChina Daily newspaper in 2004 as "the world's four major beauty contests".[7][8] In April 2008, theSouth China Morning Post described them as "four of the world's top beauty pageants";[9] the same description was also used by South Korea's leading newspaper,Chosun Ilbo in 2010.[10] In 2017, theLatin Times considered the group as the "most important pageants in the world".[11] In 2018,NBC News referred to them as the "four biggest international pageants".[12]Agencia EFE in 2019 classified them as the "four most influential beauty pageants in the world".[13][14][15]
Among the hundreds of thousands of beauty contests held annually,[16] theBig Four are considered the most prestigious,[17] widely covered and broadcast by media.[18]The Wall Street Journal,[2]BBC News,[19]CNN,[20][21]Xinhua News Agency,[22] and globalnews agencies such asReuters,[23][24]Associated Press[25] andAgence France-Presse[26][27] collectively refer to the four major pageants as the "Big Four".
In the early years ofMiss Universe andMiss World, the national winner of a country would often be sent to Miss Universe, while their runner-up would compete in Miss World. This practice was common, especially when several countries had winners in both pageants.
| Miss World | Miss Universe | Miss International | Miss Earth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formation | 29 July 1951; 74 years ago (1951-07-29)[51] | 28 June 1952; 73 years ago (1952-06-28)[52] | 12 August 1960; 65 years ago (1960-08-12)[53] | 3 April 2001; 24 years ago (2001-04-03)[54] |
| Headquarters | London, England[55] | New York City, United States[56] Samut Prakan, Thailand Mexico City, Mexico[57] | Tokyo, Japan[58] | Manila, Philippines[59] |
| Advocacy |
|
| ||
| President |
| Raul Rocha Cantú |
|
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| Organization |
| JKN Legacy Inc. |
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In October 2005,Cynthia Kanema of Zambia earned the distinction of becoming the first woman to have participated in all four of the world's top beauty pageants:Miss World 2003,Miss International 2004,Miss Universe 2005, andMiss Earth 2005.[73] In 2011,Miss South AfricaBokang Montjane became the first woman to both compete in all of the Big Four pageants and place in any of them:Miss Earth 2007 (Top 16),Miss International 2009,Miss Universe 2011, andMiss World 2011 (Top 7).[74][75]
The following countries or territories have won each Big Four pageant at least once:
| Country/Territory | Year Achieved | Total wins | Miss World[76][77][78] | Miss Universe[76][77][79] | Miss International[76][77][80] | Miss Earth[76][77][81] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia | 2024 | 8 | ||||
 Brazil | 2004 | 6 | ||||
 Philippines | 2013 | 15 | ||||
 Puerto Rico | 2019 | 10 | ||||
 United States | 2020 | 16 | ||||
 Venezuela | 2005 | 24 |
The first country to win all four major international pageant titles was Brazil, when it wonMiss Earth 2004.[82] Brazil has won two Miss Universe crowns, two Miss Earth crowns, one Miss World crown, and one Miss International crown.[77]
In winningMiss Earth 2005, Venezuela became the second country to win titles for each of the Big Four pageants.[83] With two Miss Earth titles, seven Miss Universe titles, nine Miss International titles, and six Miss World titles, Venezuela is the country with the most wins in the Big Four pageants – and the most wins in the latter two pageants' respective histories.[76] By winningMiss Earth 2013, Venezuela became the first and so far only country to win all four pageants multiple times.[84]
After winningMiss World 2013, the Philippines was the third country and the first in Asia to win all titles of the Big Four pageants.[83][85] The Philippines currently has six Miss International crowns, four Miss Universe crowns, four Miss Earth crowns – the most wins in the pageant's history – and one Miss World crown.[76] By winningMiss World 2013,Miss International 2013,Miss Earth 2014,Miss Earth 2015, andMiss Universe 2015, the Philippines achieved the feat in a span of only three calendar years.[33] After winningMiss International 2016,Miss Earth 2017, andMiss Universe 2018, the Philippines currently holds the distinction of longest streak of wins in all four major beauty pageants with a streak of six successive years.[86][87][88]
After winningMiss Earth 2019, Puerto Rico became the first territory and fourthcountry to win all titles of the Big Four pageants.[89] Puerto Rico currently has ten Big Four crowns: fiveMiss Universe, twoMiss World, twoMiss International, and oneMiss Earth.[90][91]
After winningMiss Earth 2020, the United States became the fifth country to win in all titles of the Big Four pageants. It currently has nineMiss Universe crowns – the most in the pageant's history – alongside three crowns inMiss World and three crowns inMiss International.[92][93]
After winningMiss Earth 2024, Australia became the sixth country and the first in the oceanic region to win in all titles of the Big Four pageants. The country has twoMiss Universe crowns, twoMiss World crowns and three crowns inMiss International.[94]
The Philippines holds the longest streak of winning at least one of the Big Four pageant titles in a single year with wins in six consecutive years from 2013 to 2018 (Miss World 2013 andMiss International 2013,Miss Earth 2014,Miss Universe 2015 andMiss Earth 2015,Miss International 2016,Miss Earth 2017, andMiss Universe 2018),[33][86][88] and is currently the only country in the world to win at least once in all of the Big Four pageant titles in any of its titles streak.[original research?]
France became the first nation to win at least two of the Big 4 beauty pageant titles in the same year, winning in 1953 (Miss Universe and Miss World),[95][96] followed by Brazil in 1968 (Miss Universe and Miss International),[97] Australia in 1972 (Miss Universe and Miss World),[98] Venezuela in 1981 (Miss Universe and Miss World) as well as in 2013 (Miss Universe and Miss Earth), India in 1994 and 2000 (Miss Universe and Miss World), Ecuador in 2011 (Miss International and Miss Earth), and the Philippines in 2013 (Miss World and Miss International) and 2015 (Miss Universe and Miss Earth).[76]
In Miss World, three back-to-back victories have been recorded.[99] In its first two editions, Sweden recorded back-to-back withKiki Hakansson andMay-Louise Flodin inMiss World 1951 andMiss World 1952, respectively.[99] United Kingdom contestantsAnn Sidney andLesley Langley duplicated this feat inMiss World 1964 andMiss World 1965, respectively.[99] The most recent back-to-back Miss World victories came from India, withYukta Mookhey inMiss World 1999 andPriyanka Chopra inMiss World 2000 edition.[99][100]
In Miss Universe, Venezuela is currently the only country to win back-to-back inMiss Universe 2008 andMiss Universe 2009.[101][102][103]Stefanía Fernandez won the Miss Universe 2009 title in which Venezuela earned aGuinness World Record to have the first Miss Universe winner succeeded by her compatriot, Miss Universe 2008Dayana Mendoza.[104]
In Miss Earth, the victory ofAngelia Ong inMiss Earth 2015, succeedingJamie Herrell,Miss Earth 2014, made the Philippines to date the only country to win back-to-back in the Miss Earth pageant.[100][105][106]
The Miss International competition, on the other hand, has yet to see a back-to-back win.
As of theMiss Earth 2025 edition that took place on 5 November 2025, there have been 15,719 entrants and 3,443 placements in the Big Four international beauty pageants.
| Big Four | Miss World[78] | Miss Universe[79] | Miss International[80] | Miss Earth[81] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attenda. | Entrants | Placements | Entrants | Placements | Entrants | Placements | Entrants | Placements |
| Total | 5,346 | 1,157 | 4,999 | 973 | 3,218 | 848 | 1,960 | 415 |
| 2025 | 108 | 40 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | 78 | 25 |
| 2024 | Cancelled | 125 | 30 | 71 | 20 | 76 | 20 | |
| 2023 | 112 | 40 | 84 | 20 | 70 | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 2022 | Cancelled[a] | 83 | 16 | 66 | 15 | 85 | 20 | |
| 2021 | 97 | 40 | 80 | 16 | Cancelled[a] | 80 | 20 | |
| 2020 | Cancelled[a] | 74 | 21 | 82 | 20 | |||
| 2019 | 111 | 40 | 90 | 20 | 83 | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 2018 | 118 | 30 | 94 | 20 | 77 | 15 | 87 | 18 |
| 2017 | 118 | 40 | 92 | 16 | 69 | 15 | 85 | 16 |
| 2016 | 117 | 20 | 86 | 13 | 69 | 15 | 83 | 16 |
| 2015 | 114 | 20 | 80 | 15 | 70 | 10 | 86 | 16 |
| 2014 | 121 | 25 | 88 | 15 | 73 | 10 | 84 | 16 |
| 2013 | 127 | 20 | 86 | 16 | 67 | 15 | 88 | 16 |
| 2012 | 116 | 30 | 89 | 16 | 69 | 15 | 80 | 16 |
| 2011 | 113 | 31 | 89 | 16 | 67 | 15 | 84 | 16 |
| 2010 | 115 | 25 | 83 | 15 | 70 | 15 | 84 | 14 |
| 2009 | 112 | 16 | 83 | 15 | 65 | 15 | 80 | 16 |
| 2008 | 109 | 15 | 80 | 15 | 63 | 12 | 85 | 16 |
| 2007 | 106 | 16 | 77 | 15 | 61 | 15 | 88 | 16 |
| 2006 | 104 | 17 | 86 | 20 | 53 | 12 | 82 | 16 |
| 2005 | 102 | 15 | 81 | 15 | 52 | 12 | 80 | 16 |
| 2004 | 107 | 15 | 80 | 15 | 58 | 15 | 61 | 16 |
| 2003 | 106 | 20 | 71 | 15 | 45 | 12 | 57 | 10 |
| 2002 | 88 | 20 | 75 | 10 | 47 | 12 | 53 | 10 |
| 2001 | 93 | 10 | 77 | 10 | 52 | 15 | 42 | 10 |
| 2000 | 95 | 10 | 79 | 10 | 56 | 15 | Founded 2001 | |
| 1999 | 94 | 10 | 84 | 10 | 51 | 15 | ||
| 1998 | 86 | 10 | 81 | 10 | 43 | 15 | ||
| 1997 | 86 | 10 | 74 | 10 | 42 | 15 | ||
| 1996 | 88 | 10 | 79 | 10 | 48 | 15 | ||
| 1995 | 84 | 10 | 82 | 10 | 47 | 15 | ||
| 1994 | 87 | 10 | 77 | 10 | 50 | 15 | ||
| 1993 | 81 | 10 | 79 | 10 | 47 | 15 | ||
| 1992 | 83 | 10 | 78 | 10 | 50 | 15 | ||
| 1991 | 78 | 10 | 73 | 10 | 51 | 15 | ||
| 1990 | 81 | 10 | 71 | 10 | 50 | 15 | ||
| 1989 | 78 | 10 | 76 | 10 | 47 | 15 | ||
| 1988 | 84 | 10 | 66 | 10 | 46 | 15 | ||
| 1987 | 78 | 12 | 68 | 10 | 47 | 15 | ||
| 1986 | 77 | 15 | 77 | 10 | 46 | 15 | ||
| 1985 | 78 | 15 | 79 | 10 | 43 | 15 | ||
| 1984 | 72 | 15 | 81 | 10 | 46 | 15 | ||
| 1983 | 72 | 15 | 80 | 12 | 41 | 15 | ||
| 1982 | 68 | 15 | 77 | 12 | 43 | 15 | ||
| 1981 | 67 | 15 | 76 | 12 | 42 | 15 | ||
| 1980 | 67 | 15 | 69 | 12 | 42 | 3 | ||
| 1979 | 70 | 15 | 75 | 12 | 45 | 5 | ||
| 1978 | 68 | 15 | 75 | 12 | 43 | 5 | ||
| 1977 | 62 | 15 | 80 | 12 | 48 | 5 | ||
| 1976 | 60 | 15 | 72 | 12 | 45 | 15 | ||
| 1975 | 67 | 15 | 71 | 12 | 48 | 15 | ||
| 1974 | 58 | 15 | 65 | 12 | 45 | 15 | ||
| 1973 | 54 | 15 | 61 | 12 | 47 | 15 | ||
| 1972 | 53 | 15 | 61 | 12 | 47 | 15 | ||
| 1971 | 56 | 15 | 60 | 12 | 50 | 15 | ||
| 1970 | 58 | 15 | 63 | 15 | 47 | 15 | ||
| 1969 | 50 | 15 | 61 | 15 | 48 | 15 | ||
| 1968 | 53 | 15 | 65 | 15 | 49 | 15 | ||
| 1967 | 55 | 15 | 56 | 15 | 46 | 15 | ||
| 1966 | 51 | 15 | 58 | 15 | Cancelled[i] | |||
| 1965 | 48 | 16 | 56 | 15 | 44 | 15 | ||
| 1964 | 42 | 16 | 60 | 15 | 42 | 15 | ||
| 1963 | 40 | 14 | 50 | 15 | 46 | 15 | ||
| 1962 | 33 | 15 | 52 | 15 | 50 | 15 | ||
| 1961 | 37 | 15 | 48 | 15 | 52 | 15 | ||
| 1960 | 39 | 18 | 43 | 15 | 52 | 15 | ||
| 1959 | 37 | 11 | 34 | 15 | Founded 1960 | |||
| 1958 | 20 | 6 | 35 | 15 | ||||
| 1957 | 23 | 7 | 32 | 15 | ||||
| 1956 | 24 | 6 | 30 | 15 | ||||
| 1955 | 21 | 8 | 33 | 15 | ||||
| 1954 | 16 | 6 | 33 | 16 | ||||
| 1953 | 15 | 6 | 26 | 16 | ||||
| 1952 | 11 | 6 | 30 | 10 | ||||
| 1951 | 27 | 5 | Founded 1952 | |||||
| Big Four | Miss World[78] | Miss Universe[79] | Miss International[80] | Miss Earth[81] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placements | List
| List
| List
| List
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| Countries/Territories/States | |
|---|---|
| 1950s | List
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| 1960s | List
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| 1970s | List
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| 1980s | List
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| 1990s | List
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| 2000s | List
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| 2010s | List
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| 2020s | List
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| Country/Territory | Titles | Beauty pageant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miss World[78] | Miss Universe[79] | Miss International[80] | Miss Earth[81] | ||
| Venezuela | 24 | 6 (1955,1981,1984,1991,1995,2011) | 7 (1979,1981,1986,1996,2008,2009,2013) | 9 (1985,1997,2000,2003,2006,2010,2015,2018,2023) | 2 (2005,2013) |
| United States | 16 | 3 (1973,1990,2010) | 9 (1954,1956,1960,1967,1980,1995,1997,2012,2022) | 3 (1974,1978,1982) | 1 (2020) |
| Philippines | 15 | 1 (2013) | 4 (1969,1973,2015,2018) | 6 (1964,1970,1979,2005,2013,2016) | 4 (2008,2014,2015,2017) |
 India | 10 | 6 (1966,1994,1997,1999,2000,2017) | 3 (1994,2000,2021) | × | 1 (2010) |
| Puerto Rico | 2 (1975,2016) | 5 (1970,1985,1993,2001,2006) | 2 (1987,2014) | 1 (2019) | |
| Australia | 8 | 2 (1968,1972) | 2 (1972,2004) | 3 (1962,1981,1992) | 1 (2024) |
 Mexico | 7 | 1 (2018) | 4 (1991,2010,2020,2025) | 2 (2007,2009) | × |
 South Africa | 3 (1958,1974,2014) | 3 (1978,2017,2019) | × | × | |
| Brazil | 1 (1971) | 2 (1963,1968) | 1 (1968) | 2 (2004,2009) | |
 Sweden | 3 (1951,1952,1977) | 3 (1955,1966,1984) | × | × | |
 United Kingdom | 4 (1961,1964,1965,1983) | × | 2 (1969,1972) | × | |
 Germany | 5 | 1 (1956) | 1 (1961) | 3 (1965,1989,2022) | × |
 Poland | 2 (1989,2021) | × | 3 (1991,1993,2001) | × | |
 Spain | 1 (2015) | 1 (1974) | 3 (1977,1990,2008) | × | |
 Colombia | × | 2 (1958,2014) | 3 (1960,1999,2004) | × | |
 Czech Republic | 4 | 2 (2006,2023) | × | × | 2 (2012,2025) |
 Thailand | 1 (2025) | 2 (1965,1988) | 1 (2019) | × | |
 Jamaica | 4 (1963,1976,1993,2019) | × | × | × | |
 France | 1 (1953) | 2 (1953,2016) | 1 (1976) | × | |
 Iceland | 3 (1985,1988,2005) | × | 1 (1963) | × | |
 Netherlands | 2 (1959,1962) | 1 (1989) | 1 (1961) | × | |
 Argentina | 2 (1960,1978) | 1 (1962) | 1 (1967) | × | |
 Finland | 1 (1957) | 2 (1952,1975) | 1 (1973) | × | |
 Ecuador | 3 | × | × | 1 (2011) | 2 (2011,2016) |
 Japan | × | 2 (1959,2007) | 1 (2012) | × | |
 Canada | × | 2 (1982,2005) | × | 1 (2007) | |
 Peru | 2 (1967,2004) | 1 (1957) | × | × | |
 Trinidad and Tobago | 1 (1986) | 2 (1977,1998) | × | × | |
 Greece | 1 (1996) | 1 (1964) | 1 (1994) | × | |
 Norway | × | 1 (1990) | 2 (1988,1995) | × | |
 Denmark | 2 | × | 1 (2024) | × | 1 (2001) |
 Vietnam | × | × | 1 (2024) | 1 (2018) | |
 China | 2 (2007,2012) | × | × | × | |
 Russia | 2 (1992,2008) | × | × | × | |
 Chile | × | 1 (1987) | × | 1 (2006) | |
 Dominican Republic | 1 (1982) | 1 (2003) | × | × | |
 Panama | × | 1 (2002) | 1 (1998) | × | |
 Lebanon | × | 1 (1971) | 1 (2002) | × | |
 Israel | 1 (1998) | 1 (1976) | × | × | |
 Austria | 2 (1969,1987) | × | × | × | |
 Costa Rica | × | × | 2 (1980,1983) | × | |
 New Zealand | × | 1 (1983) | 1 (1971) | × | |
 Albania | 1 | × | × | × | 1 (2023) |
 Nicaragua | × | 1 (2023) | × | × | |
 South Korea | × | × | × | 1 (2022) | |
 Belize | × | × | × | 1 (2021) | |
 Indonesia | × | × | 1 (2017) | × | |
 Angola | × | 1 (2011) | × | × | |
 Gibraltar | 1 (2009) | × | × | × | |
 Honduras | × | × | × | 1 (2003) | |
 Ireland | 1 (2003) | × | × | × | |
 Kenya | × | × | × | 1 (2002) | |
 Turkey | 1 (2002) | × | × | × | |
 Nigeria | 1 (2001) | × | × | × | |
 Botswana | × | 1 (1999) | × | × | |
 Portugal | × | × | 1 (1996) | × | |
 Namibia | × | 1 (1992) | × | × | |
 England | × | × | 1 (1986) | × | |
 Guatemala | × | × | 1 (1984) | × | |
 Guam | 1 (1980) | × | × | × | |
 Bermuda | 1 (1979) | × | × | × | |
 Yugoslavia[j] | × | × | 1 (1975) | × | |
 Grenada | 1 (1970) | × | × | × | |
 Egypt | 1 (1954) | × | × | × | |
| Country/Territory | Titles | Beauty pageant | |||
| Miss World[78] | Miss Universe[79] | Miss International[80] | Miss Earth[81] | ||
| Not replaced resigned titles | |||||
| Spain | 1 | × | 1 (1974) | × | × |
| Not replaced dethroned titles | |||||
| Japan | 1 | × | × | 1 (2012) | × |
| United States | 1 (1973) | × | × | × | |
| Replaced resigned titles | |||||
| Germany | 1 | 1 ( | × | × | × |
| United Kingdom | 1 ( | × | × | × | |
| Replaced dethroned titles | |||||
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | × | × | × | 1 ( |
| Russia | × | 1 ( | × | × | |
| Continent or region | Titles | Miss World | Miss Universe | Miss International | Miss Earth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 65 | 27 (1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1969, | 13 (1952, 1953, 1955, 1961, 1964, 1966,1974, 1975, 1984, 1989, 1990, | 21 (1961, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2022) | 4 (2001, |
| North America | 55 | 14 (1963, 1970,1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2019) | 25 (1954, 1956, 1960, 1967, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001,2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2025) | 11 (1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014) | 5 (2003, 2007, 2019, 2020, 2021) |
| South America | 47 | 11 (1955, 1960, 1967, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1991, 1995, 2004, 2011) | 14 (1957, 1958, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1979, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014) | 15 (1960, 1967, 1968, 1985, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023) | 7 (2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2016) |
| Asia | 43 | 12 (1966, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2025) | 13 (1959, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2007, 2015, 2018, 2021) | 11 (1964, 1970, 1979, 2002, 2005,2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2024) | 7 (2008, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) |
| Africa | 12 | 5 (1954, 1958,1974, 2001, 2014) | 6 (1978, 1992, 1999, 2011, 2017, 2019) | × | 1 (2002) |
| Oceania | 11 | 3 (1968, 1972,1980) | 3 (1972, 1983, 2004) | 4 (1962, 1971, 1981, 1992) | 1 (2024) |
| Total | 232 | 72 | 73 | 62 | 25 |
The country/territory that assumed a position is indicated inbold
The country/territory that was dethroned, resigned or originally held the position is indicated instriketrough
The country/territory that was dethroned, resigned or originally held the position but was not replaced is indicatedunderlined
Ingrid Fiffi Finger, was named Miss International Beauty Friday.
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