Madonna to open 2026 VMAs with first performance at show in 23 years

Madonna is set to open the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, marking her first live performance at the ceremony in 23 years.

The pop icon will kick off this year’s VMAs later this month, returning to the show where she has delivered some of its most memorable performances. Her last live VMA performance was in 2003, when she performed alongside Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

Madonna is also heading into this year’s ceremony as the most-nominated artist, earning 11 nominations. Her nods include categories connected to her latest music, adding another milestone to her long history with the awards.

Her return comes more than two decades after her last VMA performance, though Madonna has remained closely connected to the ceremony throughout her career. She famously opened the 2003 show with Spears and Aguilera, performing Like a Virgin and Hollywood before the three artists shared a much-discussed kiss onstage.

The 2026 VMAs will feature Madonna alongside a lineup of performers still to be announced, with the ceremony set to celebrate the year’s biggest music videos and artists.

Madonna’s return gives the ceremony another major moment to build around as she prepares to take the VMA stage for the first time since 2003.