Madonna To Open 2026 MTV VMAs With First Performance At Show In 23 Years

Madonna is returning to the MTV Video Music Awards for her first live performance at the show in decades.

MTV and CBS announced on Wednesday (September 16) that the Queen of Pop will make her return to the VMAs stage for the first time in 23 years when she opens the show later this month, marking her first time performing at the VMAs since her iconic 2003 opening performance with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott, per People.

The "Vogue" hitmaker's VMAs performance isn't the only thing to keep an eye on during the 2026 VMAs. Hot off the success of her new album Confessions II, she leads the artist nominations for the night with 11 nods total, including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for "Bring Your Love," her collab with Sabrina Carpenter, and Video of the Year for Confessions II - The Film. She already has 19 VMA wins from throughout her career.

Other highly-nominated artists include Taylor Swift with nine nods, Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with seven each, and Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, each with five nominations. Check out the full list of nominations for the 2026 MTV VMAs.

Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the 2026 MTV VMAs will air live from Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 27, on CBS, MTV and Paramount+ and be available for streaming the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.