Madonna To Open 2026 VMAs, Her First Live Performance At Show In 23 Years

Madonna is set to lead the 2026 MTV VMAs as she opens the show for the fifth time on September 27. This will be her first live appearance at the event since 2003, when she performed alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Missy Elliott. Their memorable moment included a kiss, which became the most talked-about aspect of the night.

Madonna has now surpassed Rihanna as the artist to open the VMAs the most times. She previously opened the show in 1989, 1993, and 1998. The VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on CBS, with a simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ (Premium) in the U.S. and worldwide on the platforms the following day. Spotify is the official audio streaming partner for Madonna's performance.

She leads the nominations with 11, including video of the year, artist of the year, and song of the year. This marks her third time leading the VMAs nominations, previously achieving it in 1990 and 1998. Madonna has made history at the VMAs since her debut performance in 1984, including the first-ever Video Vanguard Award. She holds 19 VMA Awards in competitive categories.

The VMAs air two weeks before Grammy voting, which runs from October 12 to 22, potentially putting Madonna in contention for Grammys herself. Her Confessions II album is a strong contender for best dance/electronic album and album of the year, as she has already won 10 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, trailing only Taylor Swift and Barbra Streisand.