2026 MAMA AWARDS Nominees and Ceremony Schedule

The 2026 MAMA AWARDS will take place on November 20 and 21 in Japan. The venue is Kyocera Dome Osaka, Japan. Nominees in the major categories were announced on October 12. The main ceremonies are scheduled to be broadcast live worldwide on Mnet Plus.

Nominee and voting information is based on Mnet Plus announcements as of October 12, 2026.

Key Event Information

This K-POP awards event begins with the nominee announcement and fan voting, followed by the main ceremonies. MAMA AWARDS began in 1999 as the Video Music Awards. It adopted its current name in 2022. The event’s history and plans are detailed in a CJ ENM press release.

The main ceremony dates and venue are listed in the Mnet Plus basic information. Fan Festa is a separate event that starts before the main ceremonies. Its dates and locations are given in Mnet Japan’s event announcement.

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The 2026 MAMA AWARDS ceremonies begin at 18:00 on November 20 and 15:00 on November 21.AI-generated image

Major 2026 MAMA Nominees

The new artist and male and female group awards were announced as separate categories. The table below lists nominees in the major artist categories. The names in the table are nominees, not winners.

The new artist nominees were checked against the official MnetMAMA announcement. The male group nominees are confirmed in the official announcement for that category. The female group and male and female artist nominees are also listed in posts from the official MnetMAMA account.

Performance and Work Categories

The group and performance awards were announced in separate nominee videos. An artist may be nominated in one category but not another. The full set of videos is available in the NOMINATION list on Mnet Plus.

FANS' CHOICE Nominees and First-Round Voting

FANS' CHOICE nominees were announced in separate male and female categories. First-round voting runs until 23:59 on October 22, 2026 (South Korea). It began at 19:00 on October 12 (South Korea). All times are Korea Standard Time.

The description of Mnet Plus’s “Nominees | FANS' CHOICE FEMALE” says:

Voting takes place on Mnet Plus and X.

This statement and the voting period appear in the official female category video. Viewers are also directed to Mnet Plus to check each artist’s official hashtag. Nominee lists for other categories should not be used in place of the FANS' CHOICE lists.

This table is not a complete list of FANS' CHOICE nominees. It includes only names directly confirmed in the public previews. The full lists should be checked in the male category video and the female category video.

The Difference Between Superfans and the Main Vote

MAMA superfans are official ambassadors who participate in selecting FANS' CHOICE nominees. CJ ENM said superfans would be given a role in the nominee selection process. Applications for 2026 closed on September 6, Korea Standard Time. These details appear in CJ ENM’s superfan recruitment announcement.

2026 MAMA Ceremony Schedule

The main ceremonies start at different times on the two days. Mnet Japan lists 18:00 for the first day and 15:00 for the second. The red carpet starts before each main ceremony.

The table follows Mnet Japan’s broadcast information. Korea and Japan have no time difference, so the times are the same in both countries. The broadcast times and content may change.

How to Watch 2026 MAMA

Mnet Plus has been announced as the global online live broadcast channel. Mnet Japan and Mnet Smart+ are also listed for Japan. Viewing options by region should be distinguished, even when services have similar names. The broadcast coverage is described in Mnet Japan’s official announcement.

The Mnet Smart+ prices are those posted on the Mnet Japan event page. With app store billing, Basic costs 1,350 yen per month. Premium costs 2,600 yen per month with the same payment method. Both prices include tax.

Mnet Plus and Mnet Smart+ are different services. The Japan-specific prices should not be taken as fees for the global broadcast. A live broadcast announcement also does not confirm that replays will be available.

What to Watch For

This year’s event features both competition across award categories and fan participation programs. The official concept is A MUSIC INTERSTELLAR. It represents a journey through time and space through music. The concept is explained in the Mnet Japan announcement.

• The new artist nominees were announced in a single BEST NEW ARTIST video. The previous category structure should not be applied unchanged.
• The group and dance performance awards were announced separately. Viewers can distinguish between team nominees and nominees for specific works.
• Fan Festa runs from November 9 to 21, 2026, in Japan. It is a fan participation program separate from the main ceremonies.

The Difference Between Nominee and Performer Lists

A nomination alone does not confirm that an artist will appear at the venue. Nominee videos announce who is up for awards. Whether an artist will perform must be checked against a separate performer announcement. Winners must be checked against the results announced at the main ceremonies.

For example, Mnet Japan lists ENHYPEN among the first-day performers. BIGBANG is listed among the second-day performers. Whether the two groups are nominated for BEST MALE GROUP is confirmed in a separate announcement. Performance dates should be checked against the Mnet Japan performer list.

Key questions in this article

When were the nominees announced?

Mnet Plus posted its category-specific nominee videos on October 12, 2026. A preview of the nominee announcement was posted on October 8. The date of the preview video should be distinguished from the date the nominees were announced.

Are the new artist nominees divided into male and female categories?

The official video checked is for a single category, BEST NEW ARTIST. The new artist nominee table follows that structure. A list divided into male and female categories should not be confused with FANS' CHOICE.

When does FANS' CHOICE first-round voting end?

It ends at 23:59 on October 22, 2026, Korea Standard Time. The officially announced voting channels are Mnet Plus and X. Viewers are directed to Mnet Plus to check each artist’s hashtag.

Do both days start at the same time?

According to Mnet Japan, the main ceremonies start at different times. November 20 (Japan) starts at 18:00, and November 21 starts at 15:00. The times are the same in Korea and Japan.

Can I watch for free on Mnet Plus?

The official announcement checked confirms plans for a global live broadcast. It does not specify whether viewing will be free. Check the event broadcast notice for access terms.

Will every nominated artist perform?

A nominee announcement alone does not establish whether an artist will perform. Performers are announced separately. Check the performer list for each date.

Are Fan Festa and the main ceremonies the same event?

Fan Festa is a separate fan participation event linked to the main ceremonies. It runs from November 9 to 21, 2026. The main ceremonies take place on November 20 and 21.