Which Rio samba school won the 2022 Special Group championship after its first-ever title?

Acadêmicos do Grande Rio won Rio’s 2022 Special Group championship, claiming its first-ever title.

The school, based in Duque de Caxias in the Baixada Fluminense region, won with a parade centered on Exu, an important figure in Afro-Brazilian religious and cultural traditions. The presentation challenged stereotyped portrayals and placed Exu at the center of a powerful visual and musical narrative.

Grande Rio had previously reached the top positions several times but had not won the Special Group championship. Its 2022 result therefore marked a major milestone in the school’s competitive history.

The title is easy to confuse with the 2023 result, which went to Imperatriz Leopoldinense, or with Grande Rio’s later parade history. The full school name is Acadêmicos do Grande Rio, commonly shortened to Grande Rio.