Taylor Swift Confirms Her Return to the CMA Awards

Taylor Swift is heading back to the CMA Awards for the first time in a decade. The singer confirmed that she will attend the November 18 ceremony after receiving a single of the year nomination for “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her original song from Toy Story 5.

Swift shared the news through Instagram Stories shortly after the nominations were announced, thanking the Country Music Association and telling followers she would see them at the show. The confirmation removes the usual suspense around whether she will appear at an awards ceremony where she is nominated.

A country homecoming built around one song

“I Knew It, I Knew You” was produced by Jack Antonoff and engineered by Laura Sisk. Inspired by Jessie, the cowgirl voiced by Joan Cusack in the Pixar franchise, the song closes the latest Toy Story film and has also become a major country-radio success.

The nomination arrives during a renewed country chapter for Swift, whose early career was rooted in Nashville before she expanded into pop and other styles. Her last CMA Awards appearance came in 2016, when she presented the entertainer of the year trophy to Garth Brooks. She has won 12 CMA Awards across her career, giving this year’s nomination a clear link to both her past and her current work.

Variety reports that fans are already speculating about a possible performance, but neither Swift nor the CMA Awards has announced one. Her confirmed plans extend only to attending the ceremony, an important distinction as excitement builds around her return.

What to expect from the 2026 ceremony

The CMA Awards will take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 18. Lainey Wilson is set to host, with the broadcast airing on ABC before becoming available the following day on Hulu and Disney+.

Swift’s nominated track gives the evening an unusual crossover centerpiece: a song tied to an animated blockbuster, written by one of pop’s biggest stars and recognized by country music’s leading industry awards. Whether or not she performs, her first appearance at the CMAs since 2016 is likely to become one of the ceremony’s most closely watched moments.