When Do Rio Carnival Tickets Go on Sale?

Rio Carnival 2027 ticket sales have already opened: LIESA’s first Pass was released March 9 at 12 p.m. Rio time, and later sales followed. No date or time is officially confirmed for the next popular-grandstand release. Buy only through LIESA’s official link to Ticketmaster Brazil; the latest announced release was September 10 at 6 p.m. local time.

If you are waiting for one big general sale, the calendar has already moved on. LIESA released tickets in stages, and some categories may be gone before the next window is announced. The key is to separate confirmed dates from rumors, then act quickly without letting urgency push you toward a risky resale listing.

The 2027 Special Group parades are scheduled for February 7, 8, and 9, with the Champions’ Parade on February 13. LIESA has also said that a future sale for popular grandstands in Sectors 12 and 13 will be announced, but it has not published a date or price for that release. That is the important distinction: past sale dates show how releases have worked, but they do not confirm the next one. (ticketmaster.com.br)

Rio Carnival 2027 ticket timing: confirmed sales and remaining releases

The first 2027 ticket offer went live on March 9, 2026, at noon in Rio, through Ticketmaster Brazil. Later drops included an Ingresso Sambista offer on April 6, a Mercado Pago presale from August 7–9, general sale on August 10 at 7 p.m., and a further release on September 10 at 6 p.m. Rio time. No next sale time is confirmed. (liesa.com.br)

Those are Brazil local times, not U.S. Eastern or Pacific times. Rio is on Brasília Time, UTC−3; convert the stated local time for your own sale-day calendar rather than assuming the hour matches a U.S. time zone.

The September 10 release included returned inventory and frisas, or box seats. LIESA said returned grandstand tickets could come from canceled orders, payment issues, or fraud checks. It also said a further popular-grandstand sale for Sectors 12 and 13 would be announced later. As of November 12, 2026, the official LIESA news listings do not show a new date for that release. (liesa.com.br)

Do not treat a familiar month as a promise. In recent cycles, the timing has shifted: 2025 tickets were first offered in August 2024, 2026 tickets had a July 2025 release and later drops, while 2027 sales began in March 2026. The pattern is staged sales, not one fixed annual on-sale day. (liesa.com.br)

Presale access, ticket limits, and prices

The 2027 Mercado Pago presale ran August 7–9, 2026, from 7 p.m. each day. It required a Mercado Pago credit card; an account alone did not qualify. That presale has passed, so do not confuse an old access window with a current offer. The general sale opened August 10 at 7 p.m. through Ticketmaster Brazil. (liesa.com.br)

For the August presale, the purchase limit was two tickets per CPF across the parade dates; for the general sale, it was four per CPF total. Tickets were nominal and intransferable, and only one half-price ticket was allowed per CPF. Mercado Pago cardholders could pay in up to six interest-free installments under the announced terms. (liesa.com.br)

The September 10 drop used different limits: up to two grandstand tickets per person, per parade day, while frisas were limited to one per CPF per day. Frisas held up to six people and cost R$1,835 to R$10,200, based on location; payment for frisas was by Pix only. The 2027 special grandstand and numbered chair prices were R$250 per night, or R$125 half-price for eligible buyers. (liesa.com.br)

There is no usual card-brand presale rule to assume here. LIESA’s confirmed early-access path for the August drop was tied to Mercado Pago, and that window is over. For any later sale, use only the current LIESA announcement to check its access rules, ticket cap, payment methods, and stated price.

Recent release dates and price history

The history below shows why a single “usual sale date” can mislead. Each year had its own mix of early offers, general releases, and later inventory, with dates and ticket prices set by LIESA for that specific cycle. (liesa.com.br)

For 2025, LIESA announced the August 27 launch on the day of the sale. The three-day Passaporte cost R$450, and single-night tickets ranged from R$190 to R$230, depending on section. In 2026, tickets appeared in July, then LIESA reported in October that grandstands for all parade dates sold out within hours of a general sale. Those facts show demand can be high, but they do not predict the exact timing or stock for a later 2027 drop. (liesa.com.br)

Step-by-step buying plan

Before the next release

Start with LIESA’s official announcements and follow the link from there to Ticketmaster. Save the event page, but verify that it is still the official page before paying. Decide which parade dates and sectors you can accept, and set a firm total budget in Brazilian reais.

Create your Ticketmaster account ahead of time and confirm that you can log in. Review the payment options, CPF or identity requirements, and the current ticket rules. For 2027, tickets are digital, and the seller says they will become available closer to the event; it also states that there is no service fee. Check the live checkout total anyway before submitting payment. (ticketmaster.com.br)

On sale day

Open the official page before the announced start, but do not expect early entry to improve your queue position. For the September 10 sale, Ticketmaster opened a waiting room at 5:30 p.m. before the 6 p.m. start; LIESA said queue positions were assigned at random. Enter the queue through the official link and follow the instructions on screen. (liesa.com.br)

When you reach checkout, check the parade date, section, number of tickets, ticket type, and buyer name before paying. Don’t switch between multiple accounts or repeatedly reload a live queue unless Ticketmaster tells you to; that can add confusion without giving you a better place. If your first choice has gone, use your pre-set backup rather than rushing into a ticket you cannot use.

After purchase

Save the confirmation email and order details, then check the Ticketmaster account for delivery information as the event approaches. The official event page says tickets are digital and will be made available nearer to the event. Keep the account secure and read the ticket terms; a screenshot or payment receipt alone does not prove that a ticket can be transferred or scanned for entry. (ticketmaster.com.br)

Resale, transfers, and ticket validity

Treat third-party listings with caution, especially listings posted before an official sale or for sections not yet released. LIESA has warned that resale offers do not prove the seller holds a valid ticket. It specifically noted listings for Sectors 12 and 13 even though those popular grandstand tickets had not yet been issued through the league or Ticketmaster. (liesa.org.br)

The 2027 standard tickets are described by LIESA as nominal and intransferable. That makes resale a particular risk: the seller may not be able to complete a valid transfer, and LIESA says tickets identified in illegal resale can be canceled and put back on sale. I would not assume StubHub, Viagogo, or another marketplace can protect you from a ticket that cannot be transferred or validated. There is no confirmed price-drop curve for resale, so waiting for a last-minute bargain is not a reliable plan. (liesa.com.br)

What the 2027 sale history tells buyers

The March Passaporte offer gave buyers early certainty: it covered all three competitive parade nights for R$499, with limited quantities. In April, the Ingresso Sambista offered one competitive-night ticket for R$230, with the date selected later. Those early products suited different needs, but neither should be mistaken for a general sale of all ticket types. (liesa.com.br)

The August general sale is the clearest warning against leaving queue prep to the last minute. LIESA reported that Ticketmaster saw about 5,200 people in the waiting room before the 7 p.m. start, and about 55,000 queue registrations across three queues during the sale. The figures do not mean every ticket sold at once, but they show that the queue was busy. The practical lesson: know your acceptable dates and sections before the queue opens, and never mistake queue access for a guaranteed ticket. (liesa.org.br)

Frequently asked questions

Are Rio Carnival 2027 tickets on sale now?

Several official sale stages have already happened, including the March Passaporte, April Ingresso Sambista, August general sale, and September release. LIESA has said popular grandstand tickets in Sectors 12 and 13 will have a later sale, but it has not announced that sale’s date or price. (liesa.org.br)

What is the next confirmed 2027 ticket release date?

As of November 12, 2026, LIESA has not published a date for the next popular-grandstand release. The latest specific ticket release found in its announcements was September 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. Rio time, for returned grandstand inventory, numbered chairs, and frisas. (liesa.com.br)

What time did the latest sale start?

The September 10 sale began at 6 p.m. in Rio. Ticketmaster’s waiting room opened at 5:30 p.m., but LIESA said queue placement was random, so joining earlier within the waiting-room period did not guarantee a better place. (liesa.com.br)

Where should I buy official Sambadrome tickets?

Start at LIESA’s official website or official event announcement, then follow its link to Ticketmaster Brazil. LIESA says purchases should be made through the official channel and warns against unofficial links, sellers, and resale offers that may not represent valid, transferable tickets. (liesa.com.br)

How much did 2027 tickets cost?

The announced 2027 prices included R$230 for an Ingresso Sambista and R$499 for the three-night Passaporte. August single-night special grandstand tickets and numbered chairs cost R$250, or R$125 half-price for eligible buyers. September frisas ranged from R$1,835 to R$10,200 for up to six people. (liesa.org.br)

Is there a Mercado Pago presale?

Yes, but the 2027 presale already took place from August 7 to 9, 2026, starting at 7 p.m. It required a Mercado Pago credit card; simply having a Mercado Pago account was not enough. LIESA has not confirmed that a future sale will use the same presale terms. (liesa.com.br)

Can I transfer or resell my ticket?

LIESA says 2027 tickets are nominal and intransferable. It warns that resale listings may not represent valid tickets and says tickets identified in illegal resale can be canceled. Confirm any transfer terms directly with the official ticketing platform before relying on another person’s offer. (liesa.com.br)

Which dates are the 2027 Special Group parades?

The competitive Special Group parades are scheduled for February 7, 8, and 9, 2027. The Champions’ Parade is scheduled for February 13. Check the official event listing for session and school assignments before you book plans around a particular night. (ticketmaster.com.br)

(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Michael T. Hargrove. Visit our Meet the Team page.)