On November 16, 1978, the Miss World sisterhood welcomed a new titleholder when Mary Stävin was crowned Miss World 1978.
The Top 5 finalists at the Miss World 1978 pageant were:
1st runner-up, Sweden – Ossie Margareta Carlsson
2nd runner-up, Australia – Denise Ellen Coward
3rd runner-up, Mexico – Martha Eugenia Ortiz
4th runner-up, Spain – Gloria Valenciano
The Top 15 semi-finalists at the Miss World 1978 pageant were:
Elizabeth Jones
Jeanette Keller
Doris Elizabeth Anwander
Maribel Guardia
Eija Hillevi Laaksonen
Kalpana Iyer
María Jesús Cañizares
Manohori Vanigasooriya
Debra Jean Freeze
Patricia Tóffoli