Viradouro wins Rio Carnival 2026 by a tenth

Who won Rio Carnival 2026?

Unidos do Viradouro, with a perfect 270.0 points. Beija-Flor was second and Vila Isabel third, both on 269.9.

The scores were read out at Samba City on Ash Wednesday, hours after the last parade, and Time Out Rio called it tense until the last mark. Viradouro got maximum marks in every category. Beija-Flor and Vila Isabel tied a tenth behind, and the tie-break put Beija-Flor second.

The whole league was tight. Eleven schools finished within 2.6 points of each other, and only the last place was clearly adrift.

What was Viradouro's winning theme in 2026?

"Pra cima, Ciça!", a tribute to Mestre Ciça, the school's drum master, and his life in samba.

Mestre Ciça, born Moacyr da Silva Pinto, has led Viradouro's bateria for 15 years. Before that he played at Estácio de Sá, where he won the title in 1992, and at União da Ilha, Grande Rio and Unidos da Tijuca. The parade traced that path school by school, and drum masters from other schools rode on one of the floats.

The big moment belonged to the drums. Viradouro put its bateria on top of a float, recreating an idea from 2007 by the parade designer Paulo Barros, and the actress Juliana Paes was back as drum queen after 18 years. A parade about a drummer, won with full marks: samba does not get much more on-message than that.

How many titles has Viradouro won?

Four: 1997, 2020, 2024 and 2026. Three of them have come since 2020.

Viradouro is from Niterói, the city across Guanabara Bay, and its colours are red and white. It won its 2024 title with "Arroboboi, Dangbé", about the worship of a serpent deity, lost the 2025 crown to Beija-Flor, and took it back in 2026. It is the school of the moment, and it will march into 2027 as the one to beat.

Beija-Flor is the other heavyweight, and Liesa's own ranking of the last five Carnivals puts the two of them clear at the top.

Who was relegated and who was promoted in 2026?

Acadêmicos de Niterói finished 12th and went down to the Série Ouro. União de Maricá won the Série Ouro and joins the Grupo Especial for 2027.

Acadêmicos de Niterói had only just come up, after winning the Série Ouro the year before. Its 264.6 points left it well behind the rest. União de Maricá, from the coastal town of Maricá east of Niterói, takes its place and opens the 2027 parades on Sunday 7 February.

A first night in the top league is a big moment for any school. Expect its community to fill the stands and sing every line.

See União de Maricá's first night in the top league from the grandstand, with a ride there and back from the South Zone.

★ 4.6 · 8 hours · from $747

Explore the Carnival 2027 ticket with transfer → Tour details

Which schools paraded in the 2026 Champions' Parade?

The top six: Viradouro, Beija-Flor, Vila Isabel, Salgueiro, Imperatriz Leopoldinense and Mangueira, on the Saturday after the result.

The Champions' Parade, the Desfile das Campeãs, brings the top six back to the avenue for a night with no judges. In 2026 it was on Saturday 21 February, and the tickets sold out. It is the easiest night to love: the winning parades, the crowd already knowing the sambas, and no pressure on anyone.

In 2027 it falls on Saturday 13 February. The six will only be known after the scores are read, so you book the night, not the schools.

What does the 2026 result mean for Carnival 2027?

Viradouro defends its title second on Tuesday 9 February, and the top three are split across Sunday and Tuesday.

The parade order was drawn in April. Beija-Flor and Vila Isabel both parade on Sunday 7 February, so the opening night has the runner-up and third place. Salgueiro and Imperatriz, fourth and fifth, share Monday. Tuesday has the champion with Portela, Grande Rio and Mangueira, and it looks like the strongest night on paper.

Pick the night, then pick how you get there. The ticket with transfer covers a grandstand seat in sector 3, 5 or 7 and the round trip, from $747, with 13 reviews so far. The sector 9 ticket is a numbered seat in the tourist sector from $130, without transport, and it is non-refundable. For the whole plan, see the 2027 parade order guide.

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