Madonna, 68, torched by fans over 'utterly unfocused' MTV VMAs 2026 comeback performance... 23 years after THAT steamy Britney kiss

Madonna shocked fans as she made a blockbuster return to the MTV Video Music Awards stage on Sunday, 23 years after her steamy kiss with Britney Spears made pop culture history.

The Queen of Pop, 68, who has emerged as the artist with the most nods with 11 nominations, showed off her toned frame in a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello ensemble - but fans quickly slammed the star over her 'utterly unfocused' performance.

Madonna donned a black satin trench coat, a red leotard and knee-high boots as she performed hit Bring Your Love with collaborator, Sabrina Carpenter, 27. 

The pop icon was seen draped in latex in a steamy visual, accompanied by the statement, 'It's mother!' before dancers contorted themselves on stage - while lasers shot from their crotches.

Beginning her performance with her legs spread while sat on top of a piano played by Carpenter, Madonna exuded confidence as she belted out the anthem.

The star stripped off to the leotard before she was carried across stage onto a platform, where a choir belted out Bring Your Love.

Madonna stunned fans as she made a blockbuster return to the MTV Video Music Awards stage on Sunday, 23 years after her steamy kiss with Britney Spears made pop culture history

The Queen of Pop, 68, showed off her toned frame in a scanty Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello ensemble - but her 'unfocused' performance quickly earned ire from fans

The star was bundled onto a moving platform by scantily-clad dancers - but fans quickly noted the star seemed 'out of breath' during the performance

The star writhed about as she was taken through the crowds before Charli XCX's entrance.

Madonna joined Charli for a high octane rendition of Danceteria Afterhours remix – but fans watching on TV were left furious as the ceremony was delayed due to an overrunning football game. 

The raunchy segment saw a scantily-clad Sombr make a shock cameo by a toilet cubicle, before Madonna was lifted into the air by a hunky dancer. 

However fans flocked to social media to accuse Madonna of lip-syncing and share their fears after the star was seen seemingly out of breath onstage. 

One fan wrote, 'MTV & CBS really fumbled Madonna tonight. The delay was bad enough, but those HORRIBLE camera angles during her performance? Come on. She deserved so much better.'

Another wrote, 'I wish I could’ve seen Madonna in her prime! Mama is TIRED and out of breath on this MTV #VMAs stage. And yes, I know she’s almost 70, so I’m not expecting 1985 Madonna, but whew!

'I’ll still give her credit where it’s due: she released one of the best albums of the year.'  

Others wrote, 'Ima say something controversial. Madonna this is boring.'

'madonna performance... wow... utterly unfocused and just a got damn MESS!!!!!!!'

Madonna wowed in a black satin trench coat, hot pants and knee-high boots as she performed hit Bring Your Love with collaborator, Sabrina Carpenter, 27

She bent over on all-fours as she was carried through the crowd 

The star was joined in a bizarre leather urinal scene by Debi Mazar 

Seth Rogen also joined the hitmaker, while clad in a leather ensemble

Madge was joined by Julia Garner, whose name has been floated to play the hitmaker for years in a biopic

Madonna later joined British bombshell Charli XCX for a high octane rendition of Danceteria – but fans watching on TV were left furious as the ceremony was delayed due to an overrunning football game

Fans quickly called out the pop icon for her performance 

'Madonna doesn’t know how to hang it up. This is one of the weirdest and most cringe things I’ve ever seen. Why are the MTV Music Awards on CBS after football?'

Others praised the star for her 'iconic' performance, which also included cameos from Debi Mazar and Seth Rogen. 

One fan wrote, 'She's 68, bravo to her for still being able to get up in stage and move it the way she did.' 

Madonna and Carpenter later won best collaboration, beating out Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice for Chains & Whips as well as Shakira and Burna Boy for Dai Dai, Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye's Hard Part, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson's Stateside and French Montana and Max B's Ever Since U Left Me. 

This marked Madonna's first VMAs win since 1999. 

Madonna and Swift, 36, will be vying against each other for the evening's top honor, video of the year, with Swift up for The Fate of Ophelia and Madonna for Confessions II (The Film).

During 2003's MTV VMAs, Madonna had a prolonged kiss with Spears during their opening performance for the ceremony.

Spears opened the show by singing Madonna's Like a Virgin, emerging out of a wedding cake while dressed as a bride, as Madonna did in her 1984 VMAs performance.

Other fans praised the star for the epic

Madonna and Carpenter later won best collaboration for Bring Your Love

Madonna famously performed at the first-ever VMAs in 1984, bursting from a gigantic wedding cake while dressed in a bridal gown for a rendition of Like a Virgin

During 2003's MTV VMAs, Madonna had a prolonged kiss with Spears during their opening performance for the ceremony

Madonna's VMAs coup comes after she earned a burst of critical acclaim and fan adoration for her latest album Confessions II, which was released July 3 and serves as a sequel to her 2005 smash hit Confessions on a Dance Floor

Soon after that, Aguilera joined Spears onstage for the song before Madonna appeared and launched into her single Hollywood. During the performance, Madonna leaned over and kissed Spears, before locking lips with Aguilera

During the broadcast only the image of Spears and Madonna was aired, followed by a reaction shot of Spears' former flame Justin Timberlake.

The sapphic moment has gone on to be one of the most memorable in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards.

After their public make out session, Spears and Madonna went on to collaborate on the hit single Me Against The Music.

Madonna's VMAs coup comes after she earned a burst of critical acclaim and fan adoration for her latest album Confessions II, which was released July 3 and serves as a sequel to her 2005 smash hit Confessions on a Dance Floor.

Madonna's Confessions II (The Film) is also up for dance video of the year, against such competition as  Aperture by Harry Styles, Runway by Lady Gaga and Doechii and New Religion by Bebe Rexha and Faithless.

The other nominees in that category are Dance... by Slayyyter, Stateside by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson and Nobody's Girl by Tate McRae.

MTV Video Music Awards 2026 NOMINEES

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande - Hate That I Made You Love Me

Bruno Mars - I Just Might

Gener8ion (starring Yung Lean - Storm

Madonna - Confessions II (The Film)

Sabrina Carpenter - Tears

Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande

Bruno Mars

Madonna

Morgan Wallen

Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift 

Madonna has the most nominations of the year with 11

SONG OF THE YEAR

BTS - Swim

Ella Langley - Choosin' Texas

Huntr/x - Golden

Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter - Bring Your Love

Olivia Dean - Man I Need

Raye - Where Is My Husband

BEST NEW ARTIST

Bella Kay

Cortis

Magnus Ferrell

Malcolm Todd

Myles Smith

Sienna Spiro

Stella Lefty

BEST COLLABORATION

Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice – Chains & Whips

French Montana and Max B – Ever Since U Left Me

Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Shakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai

Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye – Hard Part

BEST POP

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

Charli XCX – SS26

Lisa – Dream

Olivia Rodrigo – Drop Dead

Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Taylor Swift is trailing just behind the Queen of Pop with nine nods to her name

BEST HIP-HOP

Cardi B featuring Kehlani – Safe

Don Toliver – E85

Drake – Janice STFU

Megan Thee Stallion – Lover Girl

Travis Scott – Dumbo

Tyler, The Creator – Sugar on My Tongue

BEST R&B

Bruno Mars – I Just Might

Chris Brown – It Depends/Obvious

Dave & Tems – Raindance

Justin Bieber – Yukon

Kehlani – Folded

Mariah The Scientist and Kali Uchis – Is It a Crime

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Geese – Taxes

MGK and Fred Durst – Fix Ur Face

Noah Kahan – The Great Divide

Olivia Rodrigo – The Cure

Sombr – Homewrecker

Tame Impala – Dracula

Twenty One Pilots – Drag Path

BEST DANCE

Bebe Rexha and Faithless – New Religion

Harry Styles – Aperture

Lady Gaga and Doechii – Runway

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Slayyyter – Dance...

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

 BEST LATIN

Anitta and Shakira – Choka Choka

Bad Bunny – NUEVAYoL

Fuerza Regida – Tu Sancho

Karol G – Papasito

Rosalía – La Perla

Ryan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta – La Villa

Shakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai

Ariana Grande has landed a total of seven nominations

BEST K-POP

Blackpink – Jump

BTS – Swim

Cortis – Redred

Katseye – Pinky Up

Le Sserafim – Spaghetti

Lisa – Dream

 BEST COUNTRY

Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas

Kacey Musgraves – Dry Spell

Lainey Wilson – Somewhere over Laredo

Luke Combs – Back in the Saddle

Shaboozey – Cowgirl

Stella Lefty – Boston

Tucker Wetmore – Brunette

BEST DIRECTION

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love me

Bruno Mars – I Just Might

Gener8ion – Storm

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

Taylor Swift – Opalite

Sabrina Carpenter is tied with Grande, having scored seven nods

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky

Lisa – Dream

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Shaboozey – Cowgirl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST EDITING

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

Bruno Mars – I Just Might

Lisa – Dream

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Gener8ion – Storm

Harry Styles – Dance No More

Katseye – Pinky Up

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

Jisoo and Zayn – Eyes Closed

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Raye – Click Clack Symphony

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST ART DIRECTION

Charli XCX – SS26

Lady Gaga and Doechii – Runway

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Sombr – My Body Isn’t Ready

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Swift has a chance this year to break her dead heat with Beyonce, with whom she is tied for most VMAs ever at 30