Madonna opens the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with her first performance at the show in 23 years, bringing out Sabrina Carpenter and Charli xcx to perform duets. Across outlets, the opener centers on the songs “Bring Your Love” (with Carpenter) and “Danceteria Afterhours” (with Charli xcx). The performance is presented as a major televised return and includes additional surprise guest appearances mentioned by multiple sources.
Several outlets note the show experiences a brief delay related to an NFL game before Madonna begins. Coverage differs mainly in descriptive emphasis: some focus on the star-studded guest roster and the performance’s club-like spectacle, while others highlight Madonna’s recent career context and her release “Confessions II.” Some outlets also add more specific details about staging and wardrobe, but the core facts remain consistent: Madonna returns to the VMAs stage, and she shares it with Carpenter and Charli xcx to kick off the event’s opening segment.
