The Grupo Especial parades on February 7, 8 and 9, 2027 at the Sambadrome (Sambódromo Marquês de Sapucaí) in Rio de Janeiro. The Série Ouro runs February 5 and 6, and Champions’ Saturday is on February 13. Tickets are sold only through Ticketmaster Brasil. The street blocos, on the other hand, are free.
Checked on against the official sources cited: LIESA (official source); Liga RJ calendar as reported by Diário do Rio, Liga RJ not consulted directly; Ticketmaster Brasil, ticketing site, not an official source in the strict sense; French Foreign Ministry (diplomatie.gouv.fr).
The Rio carnival in 2027 plays out on two stages. On one side, the paid parades along the Marquês de Sapucaí, with three competition tiers that each have their own nights. On the other, the free street blocos that take over the city in the weeks around Mardi Gras. This guide separates the two, gives the dates for each window, breaks down what seats cost, and says plainly what has not been published yet.
1. Three parade windows, not just one
Série Ouro, Grupo Especial and Campeãs
The « February 5 to 9 » you see everywhere mixes three competitions. The Série Ouro, which brings together the access schools, parades on Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6. The Grupo Especial, the top tier, parades on Sunday, February 7, Monday, February 8 and Tuesday, February 9, which is Mardi Gras. Champions’ Saturday (Sábado das Campeãs), which brings together the six best-ranked schools in the competition, takes place on Saturday, February 13, a night of its own.
A Série Ouro ticket does not get you into the Grupo Especial nights. It is a common mix-up, and the first thing to check before you buy.
Key takeaways
- Three separate windows: February 5 and 6, February 7 to 9, February 13.
- Ash Wednesday falls on February 10, 2027, the day after Mardi Gras.
- Start times for the Grupo Especial nights had not been published at the time of our check.
The dates do not overlap. Each competition has its own ticket, and the Passaporte covers the three competitive Grupo Especial nights (« sold out » on the page we checked). The table below lists them in order, with what is confirmed and what is not.
| Date | Event | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, February 5 | Série Ouro, 8 schools | 8:50 p.m. start reported by the press, not repeated by Liga RJ |
| Saturday, February 6 | Série Ouro, 9 schools | Running order published by the press, to be cross-checked |
| Sunday, February 7 | Grupo Especial, night 1 | Four schools, running order drawn by LIESA on April 16, 2026 |
| Monday, February 8 | Grupo Especial, night 2 | Four schools, same order |
| Tuesday, February 9 | Grupo Especial, night 3, Mardi Gras | Four schools, last night of the competition |
| Wednesday, February 10 | Ash Wednesday | No elite parade that day |
| Saturday, February 13 | Champions’ Saturday (Sábado das Campeãs) | Six best-ranked schools; price announced as identical to the competitive nights |
Source: LIESA, parade schedule, Ticketmaster Brasil, Liga RJ calendar as relayed by Diário do Rio (Liga RJ not consulted directly), checked November 11, 2026. Ash Wednesday is calculated from Easter 2027, which falls on March 28.
2. Série Ouro: the access schools, over two nights
Seventeen schools, two nights, a separate ticket
The Série Ouro brings together the schools trying to break into the elite. Seventeen schools parade: eight on Friday, February 5 and nine on Saturday, February 6. Friday opens with São Clemente, Unidos do Jacarezinho, Porto da Pedra and Vigário Geral. The running order was drawn on April 27, 2026 by Liga RJ, and the press has relayed it.
Technical rehearsals take place on January 15, 16 and 17, 2027 at the Marquês de Sapucaí, according to the Liga RJ calendar published on November 5, 2026 and relayed by Diário do Rio (Liga RJ not consulted directly). These are the dates to note if you want to see a school rehearse before the competition.
The press reports an 8:50 p.m. start (Diário do Rio), while other titles say 9 p.m. We are not picking one: Liga RJ’s official time had not been published at the time of our check.
Sales were announced for August 18, 2026 on Ticketmaster Brasil, with seats at R$45 at full price and R$22.50 for meia-entrada (half price), presented as « popular prices » for the listed sectors. Only the press reports this announcement: Liga RJ has not confirmed that sales opened. We could not verify availability on the date we checked, because the page changes status as purchases go through.
The mayor reportedly said the top two Série Ouro schools would move up to the Grupo Especial in 2028. This is a statement relayed by the press, not a published rule. Read it as an announcement, not as a rule.
Key takeaways
- Two nights, seventeen schools, prices well below the Grupo Especial.
- Technical rehearsals on January 15, 16 and 17, 2027.
- 8:50 p.m. start reported by the press, not confirmed by an official statement.
3. Grupo Especial: the running order by night
Twelve schools over three nights
The Grupo Especial is the heart of the carnival. Twelve schools parade over three nights, four a night, in the order drawn by LIESA at the ceremony on April 16, 2026, at the Cidade do Samba. The first night opens with União de Maricá, followed by Beija-Flor, Paraíso do Tuiuti and Vila Isabel.
Each school gets roughly 75 minutes, according to the English Wikipedia entry. That is a ballpark, not an official figure. A parade is made up of floats, alas (the themed groups) and a bateria, the percussion band that sets the rhythm for the whole thing. The judges score several criteria, and the results are announced after the last parade.
LIESA had not published start times for the three nights at the time of our check. Do not plan your trip around a specific hour: the trip back from the South Zone depends on when the parade ends, and that varies from school to school.
The « Noite dos Enredos », the night when the themes of the twelve schools are revealed, was held on August 7, 2026 at the Cidade do Samba. We do not repeat the themes here, since we could not verify them against an official source.
Key takeaways
- Four schools a night, order fixed in advance.
- Seat counts and prices are detailed in section 4.
- Tuesday, February 9: Mardi Gras night, with Portela, Viradouro, Grande Rio and Mangueira.
The following table reproduces the order published by LIESA. It says nothing about start times or rankings.
| Night | Date | Schools, in running order |
|---|---|---|
| Night 1 | Sunday, February 7 | União de Maricá (opens), Beija-Flor, Paraíso do Tuiuti, Vila Isabel |
| Night 2 | Monday, February 8 | Mocidade, Unidos da Tijuca, Salgueiro, Imperatriz Leopoldinense |
| Night 3 | Tuesday, February 9 (Mardi Gras) | Portela, Viradouro, Grande Rio, Mangueira |
| Outside the nights | Saturday, February 13 | Champions’ Saturday, the six best-ranked schools |
Source: LIESA, draw announcement, checked November 11, 2026. The order is the one from the April 16, 2026 draw; start times are not published.
4. Sambadrome tickets: one sales channel, statuses to check
There is a single sales channel. LIESA sends all its categories to its ticketing page, and that page points to Ticketmaster Brasil. Any other site offering seats at the Sapucaí is a reseller or an intermediary, whatever its name or logo.
Sales came in stages. According to the press, general sales opened on August 10, 2026 at 7 p.m., with a maximum of four tickets per CPF (the Brazilian individual taxpayer ID), and the general tiers sold out between August and October. On the Ticketmaster page we checked, whose cache date is unknown, the arquibancadas (stand seating), chairs, frisas (private boxes), Sambista and Passaporte showed as « esgotado » (sold out). A new round was announced for September 10, 2026 for the frisas and the special arquibancadas. According to the press, some outlets say it sold out, while others do not yet confirm that it went on sale, so check the ticket office. Popular sectors are announced for a later stage, with no date set, according to Brazilian press.
For the special arquibancada in sectors 2 to 11 (except 9) and the individual chair in sector 12, the price is R$ 250 per night at full price, and R$ 125 for meia-entrada, with one meia-entrada per CPF per day. At the indicative exchange rate of September 4, 2026 (€1 = R$ 5.9534), that is roughly €42 a night at full price. That rate dates from September: it does not hold for November.
Frisas, six-seat boxes, cost between R$ 1,835 and R$ 10,200 according to Diário do Rio of October 7, 2026, with two tickets per CPF per day. Announced in stages, they showed « esgotado » on the Ticketmaster page we checked, whose cache date is unknown. LIESA requires all six members of the group to be present to collect the wristbands. If you are buying as a group, sort that out before you leave.
The Passaporte covers the three Grupo Especial nights for R$ 499. It sold out in 22 minutes, according to the press, and it showed « esgotado » on the page we checked. The sale date displayed in Ticketmaster’s FAQ is out of date: do not rely on it. The Ingresso Sambista guarantees a seat, with the night chosen later. Its price is reported with different amounts across sources, so we do not state it.
LIESA says it monitors sites and social networks that sell above the official price, and that it cancels purchases it judges irregular. In February 2024, Rio police arrested four suspects for fraud in the sale of Sapucaí tickets. Warning signs to know: a price well below the official ticketing price, a site with no CNPJ (Brazilian company registration number) or customer service, a payment requested outside the platform, or an ad on social media.
For a problem with a ticket, the official contact is LIESA’s Central de Atendimento, at (21) 3190-2100. Its in-person office is at Rua da Alfândega 25, shops B and C, Centro (liesa.org.br). Faced with a dubious seller, use that contact rather than the ad.
| Category | Full price | Half price (meia-entrada) | Purchase limit | Status shown on Ticketmaster (cache date unknown) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special arquibancada, sectors 2 to 11 (except 9) | R$ 250 per night | R$ 125 | One meia-entrada per CPF per day; four tickets per CPF in general sale | « Sold out » on the page checked |
| Individual chair, sector 12 | R$ 250 per night | R$ 125 | Same as the arquibancada | « Sold out » on the page checked |
| Frisa, six seats per night | R$ 1,835 to R$ 10,200 | Not applicable | Two tickets per CPF per day | Sales in stages since September; « sold out » on the page checked |
| Passaporte, three Grupo Especial nights | R$ 499 | Not applicable | Not specified | Sold out in 22 minutes (press); « sold out » on the page checked |
| Série Ouro, Friday and Saturday | R$ 45 | R$ 22.50 | Listed sectors | Sale announced for August 18, 2026 (press), opening not confirmed by Liga RJ; availability not verified |
| Popular sectors (announced stage) | Not announced | Not announced | Not announced | Stage to come according to Band, no date |
Source: Ticketmaster Brasil, LIESA, ticket page, Super Rádio Tupi, Diário do Rio, checked November 11, 2026. The « sold out » statuses come from the Ticketmaster page we checked, whose cache date is unknown: they are not live availability.
5. Street blocos: free, 2027 programme not yet published
Carnival in the street, no ticket needed
Blocos are street parades that require no ticket. More than 400 blocos paraded in 2026 according to the press, and one guide counts 462 for this edition. That figure is for 2026: the 2027 programme is not yet published, so no 2027 number is given here.
Online registration with Riotur ran from August 24 to September 24, 2026, and is now closed to organizers. Municipal services reviewed the applications until October 15. The final programme is not yet published, which is why the routes remain unclear.
The start date of the 2027 street festival is not confirmed. Guides point to mid-January; a single tourism site mentions January 16, with no confirmation from Riotur or from a second outlet. Do not present it as an official date.
Historical landmarks, no confirmed 2027 date
- Cordão da Bola Preta: one of the most traditional in the Centro, founded in 1918. Its headquarters on Rua Primeiro de Março are under renovation.
- Banda de Ipanema and Simpatia é Quase Amor: two landmarks of the South Zone. The second, created in 1985, parades in Ipanema at noon.
- Monobloco: one of the largest in the Centro, on Monday evenings.
| Step | Date | Status at the time of checking |
|---|---|---|
| Online registration (riotur.prefeitura.rio) | August 24 to September 24, 2026 | Closed to organizers |
| Review of applications by municipal services | September 25 to October 15, 2026 | Past (calendar relayed by the press) |
| Supplementary documents | November 1, 2026 to January 11, 2027 | Single source, to be confirmed |
| Upload and finalization | January 12 to 15, 2027 | Single source, to be confirmed |
| Start of the street festival | Mid-January 2027, exact date not confirmed | Not confirmed by Riotur |
Source: Correio da Manhã and Diário do Rio, checked November 11, 2026. The Riotur page could not be read directly.
6. Access, rules and accessibility at the Sambadrome
Parade entry rules are those of 2025, to be reconfirmed for 2027. You can bring in two 500 ml plastic bottles (water, juice, soda, beer) and two sealed industrial food items of up to 500 g. Coolers, glass and cans are banned. Sharp objects, weapons, fireworks and pets are excluded. Children under 5 are not admitted, and minors under 16 must be accompanied.
Once a parade has started, you cannot leave, and crossing between the even and odd sides of the street is prohibited too. Plan to stay put all night, including the pause between two schools.
The mirins, the children’s schools, parade on January 23, 24 and 30, 2027, then the closing takes place on February 12 with twelve schools. Only the February 12 night is presented as free. For the January nights, no official source confirms this.
For people with reduced mobility, the free seats distributed in previous years in sector 13 were reserved for PCD (people with disabilities). In 2024, tickets were named, with barcode and QR code, audio description and LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language) interpreters, and a companion could enter only with the person. No 2027 announcement has been found. Check with the Secretaria Municipal da Pessoa com Deficiência and LIESA, and do not count on free entry.
On health, six medical posts were set up inside the venue in 2026, staffed by 140 professionals. The 2027 medical plan is not published. Bring water, a hat and sun protection: guides stress the heat and the need to stay hydrated.
7. Safety: what the official advice says
French and Canadian advice agree. France rates Rio as a yellow zone, advises against the favelas, and asks for « particular vigilance » during the carnival, recommending that you avoid gatherings and crowds. The metro is considered safe, the bus network less so. Canada, for its part, asks for « great caution » and advises against all travel to the Maré and Penha complexes. It lists the carnival among the events where petty crime rises.
The 2027 security plan is not published. The available reference is the 2026 one: 26,000 agents deployed across the state, including 12,550 military police, and around 350 firefighters on the Sapucaí according to the press. Use it as a benchmark, and say so when you do.
The most useful habits are simple. Carry only the cash you need, do not wear visible jewelry or a watch, avoid back pockets and prefer an inside pouch. If you are robbed, do not resist: hand over what is asked. The press advises activating the Celular Seguro app from Brazil’s Ministry of Justice, without describing what it does.
The table compares the two sets of advice, point by point.
| Topic | France (diplomatie.gouv.fr) | Canada (voyage.gc.ca) |
|---|---|---|
| General level in Rio | Yellow zone | Great caution advised, with regional warnings |
| Favelas | Avoid | « Avoid all travel » to the Maré and Penha complexes |
| Carnival | « Particular vigilance » requested | Listed among events where petty crime increases |
| Transport | Metro considered safe, bus less so | Not specified |
| Last updated | September 15, 2026 | October 26, 2026 |
Source: diplomatie.gouv.fr, safety in Brazil and voyage.gc.ca, Brazil, checked November 11, 2026.
8. Transport, accommodation and budget
The metro ran 24 hours a day during the 2026 carnival days, on lines 1, 2 and 4, with the Central do Brasil and Praça Onze stations open all night for the Sapucaí. No 2027 timetable is published. The 2026 schedule is an indicator, not a promise.
For accommodation, Rio’s occupancy rate reached 99.02% during the 2026 carnival, according to HotéisRio. The Fairmont Copacabana offers a 2027 carnival package with breakfast and access to a masked ball on February 12, with no price published. The Copacabana Palace only offers a New Year’s Eve package. No official room rate for the 2027 carnival has been found, so we do not give one.
For flights, Air France operates a direct route between Paris and Rio (GIG), with an average duration of about 11 h 30 according to a fare aggregator. Air France moves to two daily flights from May 31, 2027. The fares we noted were for dates after the carnival, so we do not cite them as the price of the trip.
To set a budget, here are the items you can price today:
- Special arquibancada ticket: R$ 250 per night, roughly €42 at the indicative September 2026 rate. A meia-entrada halves the price, with one per CPF per day.
- Frisa: R$ 1,835 to R$ 10,200 for six seats, to be shared among the group.
- Street blocos: free. The budget covers drinks, food and transport only.
- Samba activity: prices and dates on the Viator listing, see the card in section 1.
What other guides don’t tell you
These points come from official sources or the leading press. They were missing from the guides we read.
- The only sales channel LIESA names is Ticketmaster Brasil. On the page we checked, whose cache date is unknown, the general tiers showed « sold out ». Several guides present resellers as alternatives, which does not match LIESA’s sales channel. Ticketmaster Brasil (checked November 11, 2026).
- One meia-entrada per CPF per day, four tickets per CPF in general sale, and two tickets per CPF per day for frisas. Frisas also require all six group members to be present to collect the wristbands. Super Rádio Tupi and Diário do Rio (checked November 11, 2026).
- The Série Ouro has its own calendar, prices and rehearsals. It should not be confused with the Grupo Especial, as some guides do. Diário do Rio, Série Ouro rehearsals (checked November 11, 2026).
- Riotur street-bloco registrations closed on September 24, 2026. Services reviewed applications until October 15, and the 2027 programme is not yet published. Diário do Rio (checked November 11, 2026).
- LIESA has announced that Camarote Rio Praia must not operate at the 2027 carnival, after sales above its authorized capacity. Procon, the consumer protection agency, is calling for refunds for the customers concerned. Diário do Rio (checked November 11, 2026).
Practical info before you go
We could not find any official Brazilian text on the rule that applies to your passport. Several commercial sites show a 90-day visa-free stay, but we have not confirmed it. Check with the Brazilian consulate or embassy for your nationality before you book your flight.
No vaccine is required to enter Brazil, unless you are coming from a transmission zone (Institut Pasteur, Brazil travel page, extract). Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for the state of Rio in a 2017 source (Mes Vaccins). That recommendation still needs to be confirmed with Institut Pasteur and Brazil’s Ministry of Health before you leave.
Amounts are in Brazilian reais (R$). The rate we quote (€1 = R$ 5.9534) dates from September 4, 2026 (PTAX from Brazil’s central bank, relayed by Numerando). It is indicative: for a precise amount, check the PTAX rate for the day.
Série Ouro parades open February 5, the Grupo Especial on February 7, and Champions’ Saturday on February 13. The mid-January street festival, date to be confirmed, kicks off the blocos season.
Frequently asked questions about the Rio 2027 carnival
When is the Rio carnival in 2027?
The Grupo Especial parades on February 7, 8 and 9, 2027, the Série Ouro on February 5 and 6, and Champions’ Saturday on February 13. Ash Wednesday falls on February 10. These dates come from LIESA and from the Liga RJ calendar as relayed by the press, checked November 11, 2026. Start times for the Grupo Especial nights had not been published as of that date.
Does a Série Ouro ticket get me into the Grupo Especial?
No. The Série Ouro and the Grupo Especial are two separate competitions, with their own nights and their own prices. A Série Ouro ticket covers only Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6. For the nights of February 7 to 9, you need a ticket for those dates, bought on Ticketmaster Brasil.
Where can I buy Sambadrome tickets?
Only on Ticketmaster Brasil, which LIESA names as its sales channel. On the page we checked (cache date unknown), the general tiers showed « sold out », and the frisas were being released in stages, so we could not verify live availability. Any other site is a reseller. LIESA says it cancels irregular purchases, and prices above the official price are a warning sign. For a problem with a ticket, the official contact is LIESA’s Central de Atendimento at (21) 3190-2100, or its office at Rua da Alfândega 25, shops B and C, Centro.
How much does a Grupo Especial ticket cost?
A special arquibancada seat or a numbered chair costs R$ 250 per night at full price, and R$ 125 for meia-entrada, with one meia-entrada per CPF per day. Frisas, for six seats per night, range from R$ 1,835 to R$ 10,200. Prices come from Ticketmaster Brasil and the press, checked November 11, 2026.
Are the street blocos free?
Yes. Blocos do not require a ticket. More than 400 paraded in 2026 according to the press; the 2027 figure is not published yet. Organizer registrations with Riotur closed on September 24, 2026, and the 2027 programme is not yet published. The start date of the street festival, around mid-January, is not confirmed.
Can you bring a water bottle into the Sambadrome?
Yes, up to two 500 ml plastic bottles, and two sealed industrial food items of up to 500 g. Glass, cans and coolers are banned. These rules date from 2025: confirm them for 2027 before you come, since the rule applied on site takes precedence.
Is it dangerous during the carnival?
France rates Rio as a yellow zone and asks for particular vigilance during the carnival. It advises against the favelas. Canada advises against all travel to the Maré and Penha complexes. Basic precautions are enough in busy areas: limit your cash, avoid visible jewelry, and use an inside pouch.
Does the metro run at night during the carnival?
In 2026, yes: the metro ran 24 hours a day on lines 1, 2 and 4 during the carnival days. No 2027 timetable had been published at the time of our check. The 2026 schedule serves as an indicator, with no commitment attached.
Can I bring a child?
Under-16s must be accompanied at the Sambadrome, per LIESA rules. Children under 5 are not admitted. For the children’s schools, the mirins, only the February 12 night is presented as free; for the January nights, no official source confirms it.
Sources
- LIESA, parade schedule : dates of the Grupo Especial nights, checked November 11, 2026
- LIESA, draw announcement : running order from April 16, 2026
- LIESA, ticket page : single sales channel
- Ticketmaster Brasil, riocarnaval event : ticketing (not an official source in the strict sense), displayed status of each tier, cache date unknown
- Super Rádio Tupi, sales stages : purchase rules and sectors
- Diário do Rio, frisas and wristbands : frisa prices and wristband collection
- Diário do Rio, Série Ouro rehearsals : calendar relayed from Liga RJ
- Sopa Cultural, Série Ouro sales : sale announced for August 18, 2026 (not confirmed by Liga RJ), prices of R$45 and R$22.50
- Liga RJ, 2027 calendar: relayed by Diário do Rio : Liga RJ was not consulted directly
- Correio da Manhã, bloco registrations : Riotur 2027 calendar
- diplomatie.gouv.fr, safety in Brazil : French vigilance level, updated September 15, 2026
- voyage.gc.ca, Brazil : Canadian advice, updated October 26, 2026
- Wikipedia (English), Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí : capacity of about 90,000 seats and time per school, for reference
Research and checks carried out November 11, 2026. Prices and availability change: check the official ticketing site before you buy.
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