Madonna is officially opening the 2026 VMAs, marking her first live performance on the show since 2003. The show airs live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27, on CBS, with a simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+, and Snoop Dogg is hosting. It will be her fifth time opening the telecast, breaking a tie with Rihanna for the most VMA opening performances in history, after previous opening slots in 1989, 1993 and 1998.
Her last VMA opening was the one everyone still talks about. In 2003, she performed alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott, and the kiss between Madonna and Britney became one of the most iconic moments in awards show history. Twenty-three years later, the show has changed completely, and Madonna is still the one getting the first slot of the night.
The momentum behind this performance is unreal. Madonna leads this year’s VMAs with a career-high 11 nominations, and Spotify is the official audio streaming partner for her set. She has won 19 competitive VMA Awards and was the first woman to receive the Video Vanguard Award. Add in Grammy buzz around Confessions II, and this opening number could kick off a whole new chapter. What song do you want her to open with? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.