Los Angeles is getting the MTV Video Music Awards back after a nine-year absence. The 2026 VMAs will broadcast live on Sunday, September 27, giving music fans a two-hour show across CBS, MTV and Paramount+.

The West Coast return is the biggest part of the announcement, but it is not the only change viewers should notice. CBS will carry the VMAs for a second consecutive year, extending an event once closely associated with cable television to a much broader broadcast audience.

Several pieces of the programme are still being kept under wraps. MTV has not named the host, performers, presenters or nominees. The precise Los Angeles venue, voting dates, ticket arrangements and any red-carpet coverage are also awaiting confirmation.

A live West Coast show with three ways to watch

The main ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ET. In Los Angeles, it will air simultaneously from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. PT, allowing viewers on both US coasts to experience the awards live.

The international times are conversions from the announced American schedule, not confirmations of regional broadcasts. Availability outside the United States will depend on local MTV schedules and the version of Paramount+ offered in each market.

In the US, CBS and MTV will show the ceremony on television. Paramount+ will carry it live and make it available on demand, although access can vary by location and subscription plan. Viewers planning to stream should check their account and event listing before showtime.

The official 2026 VMAs broadcast announcement confirms the date, times, Los Angeles location and three viewing platforms. It says further information will be released later.

No official pre-show or red-carpet start time has been published. For now, 7:30 p.m. ET applies specifically to the two-hour main broadcast.

The Los Angeles return leaves some big questions unanswered

MTV has confirmed Los Angeles as the destination but has not identified an arena or theatre. That means any report naming a specific 2026 venue is premature unless it comes from MTV, CBS, Paramount or the venue itself.

The VMAs last visited the Los Angeles area in 2017, when Katy Perry hosted the ceremony at the Forum in Inglewood. Subsequent editions were staged around New York and New Jersey. The 2025 awards came from UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, with LL Cool J as host.

Returning to Los Angeles puts the production close to record labels, studios and a large concentration of artists. That could create opportunities for ambitious performances and guest appearances, but no stage plans or collaborations have been announced.

Tickets are not currently on sale through an announced official channel. The absence of a confirmed venue also means there is no verified seating plan, ticket price or seat-filler programme. Fans should be careful with unofficial listings that promise entry before those details are released.

The same caution applies to performers. MTV has not confirmed any artist for the stage, and LL Cool J’s 2025 role does not establish that he will return as host. There are also no official presenters or special-award recipients for 2026.

Nominations and voting remain pending. MTV has not provided an announcement date, category list, voting limits or deadline. Fans will need to use the official voting platform once it opens because rules can differ by category, and special career honours are not necessarily decided by public voting.

Speculation will naturally focus on artists who have already featured prominently during the 2026 awards season. Taylor Swift’s nine iHeartRadio Music Awards nominations kept her at the centre of that conversation, but they do not confirm a VMA nomination or appearance.

The 2025 VMAs offered some clues about the scale of the event. Ariana Grande won Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead,” while Lady Gaga and Sabrina Carpenter were among the prominent winners. Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard Award, Busta Rhymes accepted the Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Ricky Martin collected the inaugural Latin Icon Award.

Other ceremonies have shown how international fandom and emerging artists are reshaping US awards shows. The 2026 American Music Awards results, featuring names including BTS, Taylor Swift and KATSEYE, provide a useful snapshot of that wider competition.

For now, viewers can confidently mark September 27 on their calendars. The ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET, originate from Los Angeles and air through CBS, MTV and Paramount+. The venue, host, performers, nominees, voting period, tickets and pre-show remain the details still to come.