VMAs TV start held 22 minutes as Ravens-Cowboys finish ran long
The CBS broadcast of the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards started 22 minutes late on Sunday, September 27, after an NFL game ran long.
The show had been scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. Viewers who tuned in on time saw the end of American football instead, as CBS stayed with the close finish between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys, according to Billboard.
It was a tight finish. Baltimore held a 34-31 lead over Dallas in the final moments that overlapped the VMAs start time. That left music fans waiting through play after play.
Inside the venue, there was no pause. The in-person ceremony continued on schedule at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles while the television feed was held. At 7:33 p.m. ET, the official VMAs account posted that the show would begin after the football game and would air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
The football clash was unusual in itself. The Ravens-Cowboys game was a neutral-site matchup played at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to The Athletic. Both teams entered the game with 1-1 records. The game aired on CBS, the same network carrying the awards.
When the broadcast did begin, Madonna opened the show with cameos from Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, sombr, Julia Garner and Seth Rogen. The programme had been listed for 7:30–9:30 p.m. ET, or 4:30–6:30 p.m. PT, according to Paramount+. Snoop Dogg hosted this year's ceremony.
Some viewers did not take the wait well. Social media posts described confusion at finding NFL coverage in the VMAs slot. A few viewers said they planned to cancel their Paramount+ subscriptions over the delay.
For viewers at home, this meant two live events running into each other. Those in Los Angeles saw the show on time. Everyone else caught up 22 minutes later.
