Rio Carnival 2027 Parade Schedule With Dates and Tickets

BRAZIL · RIO CARNIVAL 2027

The dates, the running order and the first ticket prices for Rio’s 2027 samba parades are already set. Here is what a US visitor needs to plan the trip now.

Rio Carnival 2027 brings 12 Special Group samba schools to Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome on 7, 8 and 9 February 2027. Liesa, the league that organises the top tier, confirms the three nights and the order of schools on its official site.

For US travellers, the early calendar is useful because February is peak season and seats sell in stages. Ticket prices start at 125 reais (about US$25) for a half-price grandstand seat, and US citizens must hold an e-visa.

Rio Carnival 2027 Dates and Parade Nights

Carnival follows the Christian calendar, so its dates move every year with Easter. In 2027, Carnival Tuesday falls on 9 February and Ash Wednesday on 10 February.

The Special Group parades run on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night, with four schools on each night. The parades start in the evening and continue into the early morning, so each night is a long one.

The second tier, the Série Ouro, parades on Friday, 5 February 2027, and Saturday, 6 February 2027. Riotur, the city’s tourism agency, lists eight schools for the Friday and nine for the Saturday.

São Clemente opens the Friday and Acadêmicos de Santa Cruz opens the Saturday, following a draw held on Monday, 27 April 2026. Both nights use the same Sambadrome runway as the Special Group parades.

The top six schools return for the Champions’ Parade, known locally as the Desfile das Campeãs. Liesa sells tickets for the “Sábado das Campeãs”, which in 2027 is Saturday 13 February 2027, the Saturday after Carnival.

The Sambadrome is a purpose-built parade avenue in central Rio, a short walk from Praça Onze. Stands, box seats and private suites line both sides of the runway.

The Official Parade Order

Diário do Rio reported that Liesa drew the order on Thursday, 16 April 2026, at the Cidade do Samba near the port. Some slots were fixed in advance by rule, based on the previous year’s results.

The order below is the one Liesa lists for 2027, from the first school of each night to the last. Regional outlets Diário do Rio and Super Rádio Tupi published the same sequence after the draw.

• Sunday 7 February 2027: União de Maricá, Beija-Flor de Nilópolis, Paraíso do Tuiuti and Unidos de Vila Isabel.
• Monday 8 February 2027: Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, Unidos da Tijuca, Acadêmicos do Salgueiro and Imperatriz Leopoldinense.
• Tuesday 9 February 2027: Portela, Unidos do Viradouro, Acadêmicos do Grande Rio and Estação Primeira de Mangueira.

União de Maricá comes from Maricá, a city east of Rio, and opens the competition. Diário do Rio reports that Viradouro, the reigning champion, parades on the final night.

Sambadrome Tickets, Sectors and Prices

Liesa sells Sambadrome tickets in stages, and the fifth stage opened on Thursday, 10 September 2026. All amounts below use 5.02 reais per US dollar, the open.er-api.com rate of 14 October 2026.

Special grandstand seats in sectors 2 to 11, except sector 9, cost 250 reais (about US$50) per night. Half price is 125 reais (about US$25), which Brazilian law reserves for students, disabled people, over-60s and low-income youth.

Numbered individual chairs in sector 12 cost the same 250 reais (about US$50), with the same half-price rule. Liesa allows one half-price ticket per CPF, the Brazilian taxpayer number, in total.

Frisas, open boxes for six by the runway, cost 1,835 reais to 10,200 reais (about US$366 to US$2,032) a night. Frisas can be paid only by PIX, Brazil’s instant payment system, which most foreign cards cannot use directly.

Each buyer may take two grandstand tickets per parade night, including the Champions’ Saturday. Super Rádio Tupi reported that earlier bundles, the Passaporte Rio Carnaval and the Ingresso Sambista, had sold out by August 2026.

How to Buy Tickets Safely

Liesa sells grandstand seats, sector 12 chairs and frisas online through Ticketmaster Brazil, its official seller for the 2027 season. For the September sale, Ticketmaster opened a virtual waiting room 30 minutes early and then assigned queue places at random.

For questions, Liesa runs the Central Liesa service and sales desk at Rua da Alfândega 25 in Centro. Its phone number, +55 21 3190-2100, is listed on the September sales notice.

Resale ads on social media and unofficial sites are a common risk around Carnival. Ticketmaster also cancels tickets flagged by its anti-fraud system, and those seats return to sale in later stages.

Private suites, known as camarotes, are sold separately by their operators and often include food and drink. Their prices are set privately and vary widely, so compare what each package includes before paying.

Free Rehearsals Before the Parades

Visitors who arrive in January can watch the schools rehearse at the Sambadrome for free. Liesa published the calendar of these technical rehearsals on 9 September 2026, earlier than ever before.

• Saturday 23 January 2027: União de Maricá, Beija-Flor and Paraíso do Tuiuti, from 8 in the evening.
• Sunday 24 January 2027: Vila Isabel, Mocidade and Unidos da Tijuca, from 7 in the evening.
• Saturday 30 January 2027: Salgueiro, Imperatriz Leopoldinense and Portela, from 8 in the evening.
• Sunday 31 January 2027: the Lavagem da Sapucaí ceremony, then Viradouro, Grande Rio and Mangueira from 7 in the evening.

Children’s samba schools open each rehearsal date in the late afternoon. Liesa says the rehearsals drew about 360,000 people to the Sambadrome in 2026.

Street Blocos and How They Work

Outside the Sambadrome, Carnival belongs to the blocos, free street parades that anyone can join. Each bloco follows a band or a sound truck along a set route, and many people dress in costumes.

The Rio city hall authorises the blocos and publishes their official schedule ahead of each Carnival. The 2027 list had not been published by mid-October 2026, so check the city’s channels in January.

The largest blocos gather in Centro, the historic downtown, and draw very large crowds. Smaller neighbourhood blocos in areas such as Santa Teresa are easier for first-time visitors.

Getting There, Safety and Weather

The Metro is the simplest way to reach the Sambadrome on parade nights. Praça Onze and Central stations are both within walking distance, so check which one is closer to your sector.

Liesa bans coolers, glass bottles, bags, weapons, sharp objects, flares and fireworks inside the venue. Spectators may bring two plastic bottles of up to 500 millilitres and two food items, and anyone under 16 needs an adult.

Carry only a copy of your passport, one card and a little cash, and keep phones out of sight in crowds. Pickpocketing rises at blocos and around Metro stations, especially late at night.

The US State Department rates Brazil at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, with Level 4 warnings for favelas and some border areas. It also warns that assaults with drugs placed in drinks are common in Rio de Janeiro, often after meetings on dating apps.

February is midsummer in Rio, usually hot and humid with sudden evening storms. Drink water, use sunscreen at daytime blocos and bring a light rain poncho for the Sambadrome.

Entry Rules for US Visitors

Brazil has required visas from US, Canadian and Australian citizens since Thursday, 10 April 2025. Visitors from these countries apply online for an electronic visa before they travel.

The official portal, brazil.vfsevisa.com, describes itself as the only official channel for the Brazilian e-visa. It warns that consulates may take up to 10 business days and recommends applying at least two months before travel.

The US State Department confirms that US citizens need a visa approved before departure, whatever the purpose of the trip. Other websites that offer to file the e-visa are not the official channel, so check the web address before paying.

Fees are paid online as one step of the application, so confirm the current amount on the portal before you pay. Visitors planning a longer stay can read the Brazil residency and visa guide for other routes.

What It Means for US Readers

The fixed calendar gives US visitors four months to plan a February trip to Rio. Flights and hotels near Copacabana and Centro usually rise in price as Carnival approaches, so booking early helps.

A night in the grandstands costs about US$50, far less than many big US concerts or games. Those who are already in Rio for New Year can read the Réveillon Copacabana 2027 guide as well.

The schools are already rehearsing in their home courts, as described in this look at the Carnival 2027 rehearsals. For the wider climate picture, see the best time to visit Brazil guide.

Newcomers can start with the Rio de Janeiro city page and the What to Do in Rio in October 2026 guide. For wider context, see Brazil culture and its key figures and the Brazil hub.

What Is Not Known

The dates and prices for the popular sectors 12 and 13 have not yet been announced. The exact start time of each parade night and the Série Ouro ticket prices were not confirmed by October 2026.

The official 2027 street bloco list and any Metro service changes for Carnival are still pending. The e-visa fee was not shown on the official portal’s home page, so check it there before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Rio Carnival 2027?

The Special Group parades take place on Sunday, 7 February 2027, Monday, 8 February 2027, and Tuesday, 9 February 2027. The Champions’ Parade follows on Saturday 13 February 2027.

How much do Sambadrome tickets cost?

Grandstand seats in sectors 2 to 11 cost 250 reais (about US$50) a night, or 125 reais (about US$25) at half price. Six-person frisa boxes cost 1,835 reais to 10,200 reais (about US$366 to US$2,032).

Where can I buy official tickets?

Liesa sells its Sambadrome seats online through Ticketmaster Brazil, its official seller for 2027. Avoid resale offers on social media, because Ticketmaster cancels tickets flagged by its anti-fraud checks.

Which school parades on which night?

União de Maricá opens on Sunday, Mocidade opens on Monday and Portela opens on Tuesday. Mangueira closes the final night on Tuesday 9 February 2027.

Do US citizens need a visa for Carnival?

Yes, US citizens have needed a Brazilian e-visa since 10 April 2025. Apply on the official portal at least two months before travel.

When is the Série Ouro in 2027?

The Série Ouro, Rio’s second tier, parades at the Sambadrome on Friday, 5 February 2027, and Saturday, 6 February 2027. Eight schools parade on the Friday and nine on the Saturday.

Sources: Liesa, Rio Carnaval 2027 parade order and venue rules; Liesa, ticket sale of 10 September 2026; Liesa, technical rehearsal calendar; Riotur, Série Ouro 2027 parade order; Brazil e-Visa official portal; US State Department, Brazil country information; Panrotas; Diário do Rio; Super Rádio Tupi; open.er-api.com (all accessed 14 October 2026).