The decision to pause the Miss Samoa NZ 2026 pageant was driven largely by growing digital toxicity directed at titleholders, Director Seumanu Te’eva Matafai.

Last week, it was announced that the organisation will hold its pageant every two years.

Seamanu said the move was made to give the organisation and its participants breathing space as online abuse and public scrutiny of young women in the pageant continues to increase.

“Looking at what’s happening around the world, pageants wouldn’t be a priority at this stage,” she told PMN. 

“It’s a good breather for us in terms of looking at how we can move this competition onto another level.”

She said contestants are still heavily affected by public judgment online.

“I can protect them so much, but at the end of the day, it's our communities just judging them based on their own personal agendas,” she said.

The organisation said the break will also allow it to review its structure and strengthen support systems for future contestants.

Seumanu said she has also been reflecting on whether pageants are placing too much pressure on young women.

“It just made me question, are these platforms really worth the pain that these girls go through?” she said. 

“Are we doing a good thing, or is this something that we're setting these poor contestants up for?”

While financial pressures and operational challenges remain factors, Seumanu said the well-being of title holders in an increasingly hostile online environment was central to the decision.

The pageant, which has run for 35 years, is expected to return in 2027 with changes aimed at better protecting contestants and easing online scrutiny.