Marcelo OliveiraSérie Ouro 2027 tickets cost R$45 to R$65 for grandstand seats, with half-price tickets from R$22.50 to R$32.50 (September 2026 price table), depending on the sales lot, for the parades on Friday, February 5, and Saturday, February 6, at the Sambadrome. Official sales are only through Ticketmaster, with up to four tickets per CPF (Brazilian tax ID). Seventeen samba schools are competing for two spots in the 2028 Grupo Especial.
| Nights | Friday, Feb 5, and Saturday, Feb 6, 2027, from 8:50 pm Order confirmed |
|---|---|
| Where to buy | Only on Ticketmaster, on sale since Aug 18, 2026 |
| Grandstand | R$45 (1st lot), R$55 (2nd) and R$65 (3rd); half-price at 50% |
| Section 12 seat | R$55, half-price R$27.50 (Sep 2026) |
| Limit | 4 tickets per CPF, 1 half-price ticket; named and non-transferable |
| Age | Children 5 and up pay; under 16 only with a guardian |
| 2027 gates | Not announced; Liga RJ usually publishes in January Not announced |
In this article: sections with prices by lot, even or odd side for your first time, what changes between grandstand, frisa and VIP box, scams, how to parade and how to get there.
🎭 Carnival 2027 · Carnival 2027 Guide · Rio Carnival · Where to stay
In this article · 11 topics
Pick your night by your samba school in the Sapucaí 2027 parade order, with Grupo Especial and Série Ouro by night.
Série Ouro or Grupo Especial: what’s the difference
Série Ouro is the access division of Rio Carnival: it parades at the same Sapucaí, with full costumes, floats and drum sections, but on its own nights and with cheaper tickets. In 2027, the top two schools move up to the Grupo Especial in 2028 (Diário do Rio, Apr 2026). It’s organized by Liga RJ; the Grupo Especial by Liesa. How the scoring works and when the Grupo Especial results come out: Rio Carnival 2027 results.
In practice, Série Ouro costs about a fifth of the Grupo Especial: the Grupo Especial special grandstand, on February 7, 8 and 9, went for R$250 per night in the general sale on Aug 10, 2026 (Tupi, Jul 2026) and already showed as sold out on Ticketmaster on Sep 28, 2026: for anyone who missed that sale, Série Ouro is the cheapest way into the Sambadrome. A ticket isn’t valid for the other competition: check the event name and date before paying. The guide to the main nights is in Grupo Especial 2027.
Nights and parade order for Série Ouro 2027
Série Ouro 2027 parades over two nights, starting at 8:50 pm: eight schools on Friday, February 5, and nine on Saturday, February 6, according to the Liga RJ draw of April 27, 2026 (Liga RJ). Each school’s time comes out close to the event; each parade lasts about an hour, so the last school enters in the early hours.
| Order | Friday, Feb 5 | Saturday, Feb 6 |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | São Clemente | Acadêmicos de Santa Cruz |
| 2nd | Unidos do Jacarezinho | Inocentes de Belford Roxo |
| 3rd | Porto da Pedra | Estácio de Sá |
| 4th | Acadêmicos de Vigário Geral | Unidos de Padre Miguel |
| 5th | Acadêmicos de Niterói | Arranco |
| 6th | União da Ilha do Governador | Império Serrano |
| 7th | Unidos da Ponte | Em Cima da Hora |
| 8th | Unidos de Bangu | Botafogo Samba Clube |
| 9th | – | União do Parque Acari |
Historic names appear on both nights: União da Ilha and São Clemente on Friday; Império Serrano and Estácio de Sá on Saturday.
Sections and prices for Série Ouro 2027
Série Ouro grandstand tickets went on sale on August 18, 2026, at R$45 full price and R$22.50 half-price, in sections 2 to 8, 10 and 11 (Diário do Rio, Aug 2026). The Ticketmaster price table lists two more lots, at R$55 and R$65. In Voyage Voyage’s October 2026 survey, Série Ouro was the cheapest way into the Sambadrome in 2027, from R$45 to R$65 per night (September 2026 price table).
| Section | Price per night | What’s included | Side | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Even-numbered grandstandSections 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 | R$45 (1st lot), R$55 (2nd), R$65 (3rd); half-price R$22.50 to R$32.50 (Sep 2026) | Open seating on the section’s steps | Praça Onze | Ticketmaster › |
| Odd-numbered grandstandSections 3, 5, 7 and 11 | R$45 in the 1st lot (Aug 2026); later lots at selection | Open seating on the section’s steps | Central do Brasil | Ticketmaster › |
| Individual seatSection 12 | R$55, half-price R$27.50 (Sep 2026) | Numbered seat, no table | Praça Onze | Ticketmaster › |
| Frisa | Price only appears when you choose the night on Ticketmaster | Table at the edge of the runway, uncovered | Both sides | Ticketmaster › |
| VIP box | From R$1,300 per night (Lounge Viradouro, Aug 2026) | Open bar, food, shows and usually transfer | Varies | VIP box guide › |
Source: official Série Ouro page on Ticketmaster and the sale announcement (Diário do Rio, Aug 2026). The sales page states there’s no online service fee; Pix or card. The current lot appears when you choose the night.
The grandstand is open seating: the ticket guarantees the section, not the step. Early arrivals pick their height; in the most popular sections, the upper part fills first, because it gives a view of the whole runway.
Which section to pick your first time: even or odd?
For your first time, choose the side by transport and the section by position along the avenue. Both sides see the same parade: even sections (2 to 10) are on the Praça Onze station side, and odd sections (3 to 11) on the Central do Brasil side. If your hotel is in the South Zone, the metro to Praça Onze is the most direct route; if you’re in the Center, odd sections are a walk from Central.
| If you want… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| To see the school fully formed | Generally the middle sections, 4 to 8 | They’re far from the staging and dispersal areas, where the parade arrives organized |
| To spend the least | Any grandstand in the 1st lot | The price is the same in all sections within a lot; what changes is the side |
| A numbered seat | Section 12 seat | Numbered seat, good for those who don’t want to fight for a step |
| To get back fast in the early hours | The side of your hotel’s station | Crossing the Sambadrome at the end of the night means going around the blockades |
Check each section’s position on the official Sambadrome map before buying: section numbers increase from staging to dispersal.
Grandstand, frisa or VIP box: what changes in practice
For the same parade, the difference is in comfort, view and consumption. The grandstand is concrete steps with open seating; the frisa is a table with chairs at the edge of the runway, sold by group; the VIP box is an enclosed area with bar, food and shows, with the runway seen from above.
- Concrete steps, open seating in the section
- Food and drinks at the section bars
- Shared restrooms
- Table for your group at the edge of the runway
- Uncovered
- At Grupo Especial, from R$1,835 to R$10,200 per night (Sep 2026)
- Open bar and open food all night
- Private restrooms and shows
- Transfer in most
A common middle ground is to combine: grandstand at Série Ouro, which is cheap, and one night of VIP box or frisa at the Grupo Especial. The VIP boxes, with price per night and what’s included, are in the Rio Carnival VIP box guide.
What’s not included in the Série Ouro ticket
A grandstand or seat ticket only gives access to the section. Not included are food and drinks, sold at the Sambadrome bars; transport, since there’s no transfer; and a numbered seat, except in section 12. Half-price tickets require ID at the entrance, and the ticket stays in the Ticketmaster app: a screenshot won’t get you in.
Bring a rain jacket instead of an umbrella, a small charger and cash or card for the bars. Parades run into the early hours: eat before you go in.
When sales open and how to buy without falling for a scam
Série Ouro 2027 sales are already open, since August 18, 2026, and the price rises with each lot: buying now guarantees the cheapest lot still available. The official channel is only Ticketmaster, with up to four tickets per CPF. The calendar for each Carnival sale is in the Carnival 2027 buying calendar.
The most common scam at the Sambucaí is the “VIP list” or a QR code sent by WhatsApp, paid by Pix to an individual: the official ticket is named and only exists in the app. Foreign sites selling Série Ouro in dollars, with transport, are resellers, not the official sale. The warning signs are in the Carnival safety guide.
Can you parade in a school by buying the costume?
Yes, at some schools: some sell spots in wings open to the public, called commercial wings, with the costume included. In Rio, the price can approach R$10,000 at the most sought-after schools, and most spots are set months before Carnival (CNN Brasil, Jan 2026). Série Ouro schools tend to have cheaper spots that are easier to find than Grupo Especial ones.
The way is to contact the school itself, through its website or official social media, and ask about wings for sale. Check what the price includes, whether there’s a mandatory rehearsal and where you pick up the costume. Be wary of spots sold by third parties: the contract is with the school. Prices, rehearsals and rules for foreigners are in the guide how to parade in a Rio samba school.
How to get to the Sambadrome and where to stay
The metro is the simplest route: get off at Praça Onze for even sections (MetrôRio) and at Central do Brasil for odd ones. The special 2027 operation comes out close to the event; in 2026, the metro ran 24 hours on Carnival days. With a ride app, arrange pickup outside the blocked streets.
The neighborhoods, with hotel prices and how to get back in the early hours, are in the guide to where to stay for Rio Carnival.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Série Ouro 2027 ticket cost?
The Série Ouro 2027 grandstand costs R$45 to R$65 (September 2026 price table), depending on the lot, with half-price from R$22.50 to R$32.50. The individual seat in section 12 is R$55. Official sales are only through Ticketmaster, since August 18, 2026.
When are the Série Ouro 2027 parades?
On Friday, February 5, and Saturday, February 6, 2027, from 8:50 pm, at Marquês de Sapucaí. There are eight schools on Friday and nine on Saturday.
Which is the best Sambadrome section for your first time?
The middle sections, 4 to 8, show the schools fully formed, far from the staging and dispersal areas. Choose the side by transport: even sections near Praça Onze station, odd sections near Central do Brasil.
Is the Série Ouro ticket valid for the Grupo Especial?
No. They’re different competitions and sales: Série Ouro parades on February 5 and 6, and the Grupo Especial on February 7, 8 and 9. Check the event name and date before paying.
Can you parade by buying a costume?
Yes, at schools that sell commercial wings to the public. In Rio, the spot can approach R$10,000 at the most sought-after ones (CNN Brasil, Jan 2026), and Série Ouro tends to be cheaper. Buy directly from the school.
Is it worth going to Série Ouro?
It’s worth it for anyone who wants the Sambadrome experience on a budget, or for anyone already going to the Grupo Especial who wants one more night of parades. What to do now: buy the grandstand in the current lot, on the side of your hotel’s station, and save the bigger money for the main night. The full Carnival itinerary is in the Rio Carnival 2027 guide.