The Unidos do Viradouro has officially been crowned the champion of the 2026 Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Their theme, 'Pra cima, Ciça!' paid tribute to the well-respected Mestre Ciça, a 69-year-old leader of the bateria, honoring him while he is still alive. The performance captivated both the audience and the school’s participants, as many of the musicians were seen emotionally crossing the avenue in tears.

Their impressive performance was flawless, as Viradouro scored top points in all nine judged categories, finishing with a total of 270 valid points. Notably, they received a perfect score of 9.9 in both the Fantasy and Samba-enredo categories, though those scores were not considered in the final tally. The runner-up, Beija-Flor de Nilópolis, was close behind with 269.9 points, while Vila Isabel also matched that score but ranked third due to a tiebreaker on harmony.

Other notable performances included Salgueiro, Imperatriz, and Mangueira, who rounded out the top six, with the latter being the lowest ranked school, Academicos de Niterói, facing relegation to the Série Ouro. This year's carnival showcased the deep emotional ties and community spirit reflected in samba, particularly through rising stars like Viradouro and seasoned masters like Mestre Ciça.