In the Rio Carnival 2026, the samba school Beija-Flor de Nilópolis achieved the runner-up position, falling short of the championship title primarily because of its performance in the notoriously strict category of allegories and props. This category was a significant factor in the judges' scoring, with only four out of the twelve participating schools securing the highest score of 30 points. Beija-Flor received two scores of 9.9 within the category, and after discarding the lower score, the remaining score impacted its final tally, resulting in a narrow loss against the champion, Unidos do Viradouro.

Beija-Flor finished with a total of 269.9 points in the carnival, just shy of Viradouro's winning score of 270 points. The competitive nature of the 2026 edition, particularly in the allegories and props category, highlighted the challenge faced by schools as they sought to impress a panel of judges with intricate designs and thematic creativity. The top score in this category was crucial for capturing the championship title, and Beija-Flor's failure to achieve a perfect score led to its disappointment in not clinching the title this time around.

The result underscores the rigorous standards set for the samba schools in this year's competition, reflecting the evolving criteria that judges employ to evaluate performances. For Beija-Flor, this second-place finish marks an important moment in its history, emphasizing the need to adapt and innovate in future carnivals to meet the high expectations of the audience and judges alike as the school aims for a championship title in the coming years.