Weihai International Bathing Beach, in Shandong province, became mainland China's first Blue Flag site after passing international review — a milestone marked with a flag-raising ceremony.
In the country where the label was born in 1985, nearly half the sites sit on the southern coast.
85 beaches, nine marinas and a first-ever award for a tourism boat.
Malibu, Boca Raton and Delray Beach are the country's only certified sites.
Mexico holds 80 certified beaches; Cancún is first worldwide for tourism boats.
Fifty beaches and ten marinas across five states; Santa Catarina leads.
Antalya alone leads the world with 232 Blue Flag beaches.
Praia de Mira completes 40 unbroken years with the flag.
Keep Britain Tidy names the year's beaches; Liverpool holds the only marina.
Island destinations drive one of the largest national tallies.
Explore the seven themes of the new scheme and what they mean for your beach, marina or boat.
See the full coverage →Official award figures, updated as each national operator publishes results.
| Country | Beaches | Marinas | Boats | Announced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain (ADEAC) | 677 | 111 | 6 | May 2026 |
| Greece | 624 | 17 | 17 | May 2026 |
| Türkiye (TÜRÇEV) | 580 | 30 | 18 | May 2026 |
| Italy (FEE Italia) | 525 | 87 | — | May 2026 |
| Portugal | 396 | — | — | Jun 2026 |
| France (Pavillon Bleu) | 384 | 100 | 1 | May 2026 |
Flag-raising ceremony coverage — in production.
Highlights from the network — coming soon.
Interviews with the people who run certified beaches, marinas and vessels.
50% of proceeds from Blue Flag News partnerships fund environmental education in the South Atlantic. The flagship project is Vecinos Invisibles del Atlántico Sur ("Invisible Neighbours of the South Atlantic") — the beach education kit built around the three threatened coastal species below. It's paired with a school that trains lifeguards and beach staff to deliver it, and a network of young reporters covering their own beaches' season — developed by Blue Flag Argentina and Blue Flag Uruguay.
View the full kit →Mustelus schmitti — a small shark sold unrecognised in fish shops across Argentina and Uruguay, down more than 80% in three generations.
Pontoporia blainvillei — the most threatened small cetacean of the south-west Atlantic, rarely seen alive.
Hippocampus patagonicus — described for science only in 2004, found clinging to piers in beach towns.
Blue Flag is an international eco-label run by the Foundation for Environmental Education since 1987, awarded each year to beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators that meet strict criteria on water quality, environmental management, education, safety and services. It operates in more than 50 countries through national operators.
Applications, national juries and the international jury, hemisphere by hemisphere.
Cases from operators across the network.
Contacts and official sites for 50+ countries.
A monthly digest of Blue Flag news worldwide — awards, best practices and key dates.
Blue Flag News is an independent news hub covering the Blue Flag programme worldwide. It monitors official FEE sources, national operators and press in several languages to keep operators informed and give journalists a reliable reference.