Fans upset at 2026 VMAs over late start, Madonna lip sync and Bruno Mars video

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards started about 20 minutes late on Sunday, September 27, because a football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys ran past its scheduled time. Snoop Dogg hosted the ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, which was broadcast live on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+. Viewers who waited for the show to begin at the planned 7:30 pm ET slot took to social media to complain about the wait.

Performances And Fan Reaction

Madonna made her first VMAs appearance in 23 years, opening the show alongside Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX. While many fans liked her energy and the scale of the stage setup, others pointed out what they felt were obvious lip-sync problems during the set. Bruno Mars also drew attention when his performance of "Dance With Me" turned out to be pre-recorded footage from his Romantic Tour instead of a live appearance. Since he was performing at Falcon Stadium in Colorado at the time, viewers expressed mixed feelings about the recorded video segment rather than a live show from the Los Angeles stage.

Context

Major live television awards shows often face schedule changes when live sporting events like NFL games run longer than expected. Using pre-recorded concert footage for music awards is also a common way for touring artists to take part when their concert schedules clash with award show dates.