It’s been a minute since Madonna last performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, but the “Material Girl” singer will be returning to the scene of some of her most memorable televised performances.
In a joint announcement from CBS and MTV, it’s been revealed that Madonna will be opening the 2026 VMAs.
Not only is she this year’s most-nominated artist, this will also mark her first live performance at the VMAs in 23 years.
A Long Time Coming
Madonna last performed at the MTV Video Music Awards more than two decades ago. During the 2003 broadcast, she she was famously joined by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera for a mashup of “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood.”
That performance, however, isn’t Madonna’s only VMAs appearance that’s come to be considered iconic by fans.
Her other show-stopping performances have included a gender-bending take on “Bye Bye Baby” in 1993, her explosive performance of “Express Yourself” in 1989 and the theatrical 18th-century-inspired staging of “Vogue” in 1990. That latter appearance, declares the joint MTV-CBS announcement, has gone on to become “widely hailed as one of the greatest live television performances of all time.”
In fact, Madonna’s long association with the VMAs doesn’t stop there.
Back in 1986, she made history by becoming the first solo female artist to ever receive the prestigious Video Vanguard Award.
Madonna’s experience with the VMAs goes back to the very beginning. She first hit the VMAs stage for the award show’s inaugural edition in 1984, where her incendiary live performance of “Like a Virgin” went on to become one of the most defining moments in pop culture history.
‘Confessions II’ Has Been a Blockbuster
Described in the announcement as a “cultural powerhouse,” Madonna is returning to the VMAs stage following the release of her critically acclaimed “Confessions II.” Featuring her hit collab with Sabrina Carpenter, “Bring Your Love,” “Confessions II” rocketed to No. 1 in the charts while earning Madonna her strongest reviews in years.
“The leading 2026 ‘VMAs’ nominee enters the night with a career-high 11 nominations and looks to add to her 19 competitive career wins, with nods including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year,” notes the announcement. “This year marks the third time Madonna has led VMAs nominations. She earned nine nominations for ‘Vogue’ in 1990 and another nine for ‘Ray of Light’ and ‘Frozen’ in 1998.”
When Will the 2026 VMAs Air?
Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the 2026 edition of the VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 27 (7:30-9:30 p.m., ET/4:30-6:30 p.m., PT) on the CBS Television Network, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.
In addition, the show will also be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.
Per the announcement, “Spotify has partnered with the VMAs as the official audio streaming partner, extending the event beyond the live broadcast. The collaboration connects fans directly with Madonna’s music post-performance and features exclusive content, including archival footage from past VMAs.”
