Madonna is set to make a highly anticipated return to the MTV Video Music Awards, with the pop icon announced as the opening performer for the 2026 VMAs.
The performance, scheduled for September 27 in Los Angeles, will mark Madonna’s first live performance at the awards show in 23 years. She last performed at the VMAs in 2003, when she opened the ceremony alongside Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in a performance that became one of the most talked-about moments in the show’s history.
Madonna’s return comes during a particularly significant year for the singer at the VMAs. She leads all artists with a career-high 11 nominations, including nominations for Video of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Bring Your Love,” her collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter.
The upcoming appearance will add another chapter to Madonna’s long history with the VMAs. She performed at the very first ceremony in 1984 with “Like a Virgin” and went on to deliver several memorable performances throughout the years, including her theatrical “Vogue” performance in 1990 and “Express Yourself” in 1989.
Her last performance at the ceremony came in 2003, when she shared the stage with Spears and Aguilera for an opening medley that included “Hollywood” and “Like a Virgin.” Madonna also made a surprise appearance at the 2021 VMAs to mark MTV’s 40th anniversary, although she did not perform.
The 2026 VMAs will be hosted by Snoop Dogg and will take place at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater. The ceremony will air live on CBS and MTV, with streaming available through Paramount+ in the United States.
Madonna enters the ceremony with 19 competitive VMA wins, and her 11 nominations this year give her another opportunity to add to that total.
Her return also follows the release of Confessions II, her 15th studio album and a follow-up to her 2005 classic Confessions on a Dance Floor. The album was released in July through Warner Records.
With Madonna opening the show and Snoop Dogg serving as host, the 2026 VMAs are set to bring another major chapter to the awards ceremony’s history when they take place on September 27.
