The 2026 MTV VMAs are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27, at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, airing 7:30–9:30 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV and streaming on Paramount+ Premium. Madonna is set to open the show; Taylor Swift will premiere her “Patient Zero” video.
Snoop Dogg will host, and the ceremony returns to the West Coast for the first time since 2017 after nine years in New York. Madonna leads this year’s nominees with 13, followed by Swift with 11; Bruno Mars is the top male nominee with six.
Madonna is returning to the VMAs stage for the first time in 23 years and is set to open the show for a record fifth time. Swift will receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors; her 30 VMA wins are tied with Beyoncé’s, and the honor will raise her total to 31. Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims are scheduled to honor George Michael, Kacey Musgraves will lead a Dolly Parton tribute, and Nirvana will receive the Video Vanguard Award. No performance tied to that honor had been announced as of Sunday.
