Costa Rica arrives at the 75th Miss Universe with a story of persistence rewarded. Representing the country in San Juan, Puerto Rico is Mariale Acosta – a 24-year-old model, presenter, and proud representative of Afro-Costa Rican pride from Heredia, whose second attempt at the national crown finally delivered.
Mariale Acosta was crowned Miss Universe Costa Rica 2026 on Friday, June 5, at the Costa Rica Convention Center in Heredia, defeating 13 other candidates in a final broadcast live on OPA. She received her crown from outgoing titleholder Mahyla Roth, in a ceremony hosted by Omar Cascante and Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.
Her path to the crown is a genuine comeback story. Mariale finished as 1st Runner-Up at Miss Universe Costa Rica 2024, then made the difficult decision to step away from competing the following year to serve as the pageant’s own presenter in 2025 – a role she described as a dream in its own right. But the pull to compete again proved stronger. “Yo renuncié a ese puesto, que también era un sueño para mí, para poder volver a competir y cumplir mi sueño de representar a mi país” — she resigned from that position, which was also a dream for her, in order to compete again and fulfill her dream of representing her country.
That decision paid off. In a competitive final that saw Samaria Montero finish as 1st finalist and Brenda Alfaro as 2nd finalist, it was Mariale who claimed the national crown — completing a journey from runner-up, to presenter, to queen across three consecutive editions.
The event itself carried serious international weight — the gala welcomed a remarkable roster of Miss Universe royalty, including reigning Miss Universe Fátima Bosch, Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjaer, Miss Universe Chile 2024 Emilia Dides, Miss Universe Cuba 2025 Lina Luaces, and Miss Universe Dominican Republic 2025 Jenny Ventura — alongside a lineup of celebrated former Costa Rican queens. The Miss Universe Costa Rica organization reports its galas draw more than 1,500 attendees per edition, with content reaching over 20 million views across television and social platforms.
Pageanthology’s Assessment:
Mariale Acosta’s story – runner-up, presenter, and finally queen – reflects exactly the kind of resilience and long-term commitment that resonates on the international stage. Her experience literally hosting the pageant gives her a rare, insider-level understanding of what judges and audiences respond to. Costa Rica has a passionate and growing Miss Universe fanbase, and Mariale arrives in Puerto Rico with both the polish and the persistence to make a real impression.