Madonna returns to VMAs stage after 23 years with star-studded performance

Madonna kicked off the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with a star-studded performance featuring Sabrina Carpenter and Charli xcx.

The Queen of Pop opened Sunday night’s show with her first VMAs performance in 23 years, taking the stage after the ceremony was delayed by the Baltimore Ravens-Dallas Cowboys game.

Carpenter joined Madonna early in the performance for "Bring Your Love," their house-pop collaboration from Madonna’s latest album, "Confessions II."

The pair got the crowd on its feet with the dancefloor anthem before Charli xcx made a surprise appearance for a performance of her remix of Madonna's "Danceteria."

Madonna's opening number also featured appearances from Seth Rogen, Sombr and Julia Garner, who had previously been linked to playing Madonna in a biopic about the singer's life and career.

The performance marked a major return to the VMAs stage for Madonna, who has delivered some of the awards show's most memorable moments over the decades.

Her high-energy opening set officially got the night underway after viewers had to wait longer than expected for the broadcast to begin.

Snoop Dogg is hosting this year's VMAs, which returned to the West Coast for the first time in nearly a decade.

Ahead of the show, Taylor Swift was among the final stars to arrive on the red carpet, stepping out in a black halter bodysuit paired with a sparkling silver draped skirt.

The 2026 MTV VMAs are airing live Sunday night on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+.