The Acadêmicos de Niterói finished in last place during the Rio Carnival, receiving a total of 264.6 points and resulting in their relegation to the Serie Ouro. This year's performance was marked by only two perfect scores of 10, both given for the samba-enredo, which was notably themed around Brazil's President Lula and included a controversial depiction of former President Jair Bolsonaro as a clown in one of their floats. The Niterói school was the first to parade on the night of the event, allowing it to set the stage early on, but unfortunately failed to impress the judges overall.

The competition was fierce, as evidenced by the champion school, Viradouro, which received 34 perfect tens across the various judging categories. In contrast, Niterói's performance was criticized, particularly in the fantasy category, where the school garnered only 29 out of a possible 30 points. This minor deduction significantly impacted their overall score, and it highlights how competitive and closely judged the carnival events are, with other schools achieving scores consistently near perfection.

Overall, the Niterói school's attempt to make a political statement through their carnival performance appears to have had little bearing on their success in achieving high scores. Instead, their relegation reflects the complex nature of the Carnival parade, where artistic merit must align with the technical execution of performances, something that Acadêmicos de Niterói ultimately fell short of this year.