Enxhi Sterkaj will represent Albania in the 26th edition of Miss Earth. Based in Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines, the international beauty pageant advocates for environmental awareness, conservation and social responsibility.
Miss Shqipëria 2026
On June 6, 2026, Sterkaj competed against 24 other Miss Shqipëria 2026 candidates at the Amfiteatri i Pogradecit in Pogradec, Albania. It was the 28th edition of the national beauty pageant that selects the Miss International, Miss Earth, Miss Supranational, The Miss Globe and Miss Elite Global candidates of the country.
Paola Avdulaj won the Miss Shqipëria 2026 title and was crowned The Miss Globe Albania 2026. In second place was Alessia Surreli, who was crowned Miss International Albania 2026.
In third place was Sterkaj, who was crowned Miss Earth Albania 2026. The respective first and second runners-up were Sindi Kuçi and Alisa Zeneli.
Miss Earth 2026
The date and venue of the Miss Earth 2026 coronation ceremony have yet to be announced. The competition is expected to be held in the Philippines like most of the previous editions of the competition.
The Philippines will not be the first foreign country visited by Sterkaj. She traveled to New York City, New York, United States in December 2024, Frankfurt, Germany in December 2025 and Bamberg, Germany and Taormina, Sicily, Italy in January 2026.
Including Sterkaj, more than 80 women will compete for the title. So far, these are the other candidates that have been confirmed to join this edition:
- Nazarena Torrejón, 22, Argentina
- Larisa Hambaryan, 23, Armenia
- Axana Carmoy, 21, Belgium
- Tijana Štrbac, 18, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Kristina Valena Ivanova, Bulgaria
- Cassiedy Davis Quintero, 26, Cayman Islands
- Matangaro Tarabay, 22, Cook Islands
- Paola Hrdas, 21, Croatia
- Adrianna Carrandi, 20, Cuba
- Hana Dědková, 25, Czech Republic
- Katherine Marisol Echeverria, 26, El Salvador
- Veronika Azimova, 26, Estonia
- Vilma del Rosario Estrada Rodríguez, 25, Guatemala
- Claudia Castañeda, 23, Honduras
- Norma Yamin, 24, Lebanon
- Elyse Tan, 18, Malaysia
- Ksenija Popović, Montenegro
- Yajna Singh, 26, New Zealand
- Veronica Ocampos, 26, Paraguay
- Bárbara Costa, Portugal
- Cristina Mariel Ríos Reyes, 24, Puerto Rico
- Lana Mandić, Serbia
- Sofia Orel, 18, Ukraine
- Gia Soleil Espinosa, 21, United States
- Sarann John, 21, Wales
Albania in Miss Earth
Before Sterkaj, 11 women have represented Albania in Miss Earth. Here are their names and their respective placements:
- Anjeza Maja (2002) – unplaced
- Vilma Masha (2004) – unplaced
- Blerta Halili (2006) – unplaced
- Shpresa Vitia (2007) – unplaced
- Rudina Suti (2008) – unplaced
- Suada Saliu (2009) – unplaced
- Afroviti Goge (2013) – unplaced
- Rigelsa Cybi (2022) – unplaced
- Drita Ziri (2023) – winner
- Xhesika Pengili (2024) – unplaced
- Kleja Sulejmani (2205) – unplaced
Sovran Star 
Leave a comment