BACARDÍ Returns to 2026 MTV VMAs as Best Dance Category Makes a Comeback

BACARDÍ is returning to the MTV Video Music Awards for a fourth straight year, with its partnership expanding around the return of the Best Dance category. The award will be presented again after a seven-year absence, while the rum brand is also bringing new dance-focused content to the show. The 2026 VMAs will take place later this month in Los Angeles, with Snoop Dogg hosting.

In a press release, BACARDÍ’s team announced that the 2026 MTV VMAs will air Sunday, September 27 from Los Angeles, with the brand returning as the show’s official spirits partner for a fourth consecutive year as Best Dance returns for the first time since 2019.

To celebrate the category’s return, BACARDÍ has partnered with Paramount Media Labs, Paramount Advertising’s full-service branded content studio, to debut “It All Starts With a Beat,” an original content campaign inspired by the rhythm that transforms music into movement. Featuring acclaimed producer Caleb Calloway alongside celebrated dancers and choreographers Dexter Carr, Gabi Barra and Dario Boatner, the campaign follows the creative process behind an original Latin-inspired remix and choreography built around iconic Best Dance-winning tracks, including “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin, “Waiting For Tonight” by Jennifer Lopez and “Free Your Mind” by En Vogue. Created and produced by Paramount Media Labs, the exclusive custom content will air during the “VMAs.”

BACARDÍ will serve the official cocktail lineup on “VMAs” night, including the beloved Moonwalk Mojito, BACARDÍ Agua Fresca, BACARDÍ Coco Colada Spritz and BACARDÍ 808, inviting guests to raise a glass to the year’s biggest celebration of music.

“Dance music is experiencing a powerful resurgence, making this the perfect year to reintroduce Best Dance Video to the ‘VMAs’. Together with BACARDÍ’s vision and Paramount’s deep music, talent, and cultural expertise, we created an authentic campaign and unforgettable experience that captures the energy fueling the genre’s momentum and unites the brand, show, artists, and fans in a meaningful way,” said Matt Newcomb, Senior Vice President of Marketing Activation, Paramount Media Labs.

The 2026 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS (“VMAs”) return to the West Coast for the first time since 2017, broadcasting live on Sunday, Sept. 27 (7:30-9:30 PM, ET/ 4:30-6:30 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network, simulcast on MTV and streaming live on Paramount+ (Premium) in the U.S. The show will also be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.

The “VMAs” are produced by Gunpowder & Sky. Van Toffler serves as producer. Jesse Ignjatovic of Den of Thieves, Barb Bialkowski, and Bruce Gillmer serve as executive producers alongside Barry Barclay and Floris Bauer. Melanie Block serves as co-executive producer and Gary Lanvy as co-producer. Snoop Dogg is an executive producer alongside producers Sara Ramaker and Jasmin Ratansi. Jen Proctor is executive talent producer. 

BACARDÍ Moonwalk Mojito, Official Cocktail of the 2026 MTV “VMAs” 

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz BACARDÍ Superior Rum
• 0.75 oz Mojito Mint Syrup
• 0.75 oz Lime Juice
• Top with Club Soda
• Mint Sprig & Lime Wedge

Method: Combine BACARDÍ Superior Rum, lime juice, mint syrup, and mint leaves in a shaker tin with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into cup over fresh ice and top with a splash of club soda; stir to incorporate. Garnish with a mint sprig.

BACARDÍ Agua Fresca

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz BACARDÍ Gold Rum
• 0.75 oz Lime Juice
• 0.75 oz Fresh Watermelon Juice
• 0.25 oz Chamoy
• Watermelon Slice

Method: In a shaker, combine BACARDÍ Gold Rum, lime juice, and Watermelon Juice with ice and shake vigorously. Add 0.25 oz Chamoy to a cup and fill with ice. Strain the shaker into a cup with fresh ice and garnish with a watermelon slice.

BACARDÍ Coco Colada Spritz

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz BACARDÍ Coconut Rum
• 0.5 oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
• 0.75 oz Lime Juice
• Top with Club Soda
• Dehydrated Pineapple Slice

Method: Combine BACARDÍ Coco Rum, lime juice, and Pineapple Juice into a cup with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cup over fresh ice with a splash of club soda and stir to incorporate. Garnish with a dehydrated pineapple slice.

BACARDÍ 808 

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Rum
• 1/5 oz Banana du Brasil liqueur
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Orange Half Wheel

Method: Combine BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Rum, banana liqueur, and bitters into a cup, add ice, and stir to chill. Add more ice to top and garnish with an orange half wheel.

About BACARDÍ Rum – The World’s Most Awarded Rum

In 1862, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó revolutionized the spirits industry by creating a light-bodied rum with a particularly smooth taste – BACARDÍ. The unique taste of BACARDÍ rum inspired cocktail pioneers to invent some of the world’s most famous recipes, including the BACARDÍ Mojito, the BACARDÍ Daiquiri, the BACARDÍ Cuba Libre, the BACARDÍ Piña Colada and the BACARDÍ El Presidente.

BACARDÍ rum is the world’s most awarded spirit, with more than 1000 awards for quality, taste, and innovation. Today, BACARDÍ rum is made mainly in Puerto Rico, where it is crafted to ensure the taste remains the same as when it was first blended in 1862. www.BACARDÍ.com

The BACARDÍ brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

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