The international battle for the cleanest and safest beaches in the world remained a Mediterranean affair in 2026, with Spain retaining the world’s top spot for Blue Flags and Greece steadily following in second place.According to the latest results of the Foundation for Environmental Education’s international Blue Flag programme, Spain set a new historic record with 794 total awards, of which 677 were for organised beaches. This number is an increase of 44 awards compared to 2025, when the country had accumulated 750 total awards.Greece retained second place globally with 657 total awards, of which 624 were for beaches, essentially remaining at the same level as in 2025 and continuing to hold around 15% of the world’s awarded beaches.The first prefecture in Greece was Halkidiki, with 93 flags on beaches. The Region of Crete retains the first place with 154 flags on coasts. The International Committee awarded 4,378 beaches, 747 marinas and 158 tourist boats around the world.Ranking of Blue Flag beaches for 2026The regions of Valencia, Andalusia and Galicia continued to dominate in Spain, while in Greece, Halkidiki and Crete stood out for another year.Italy consolidates its leadership in coastal tourism thanks to the 525 beaches awarded Blue Flags 2026 by the Foundation for Environmental Education (Fee).At the award ceremony, held in Rome on Thursday, 14 new entries against three failed reaffirmations and awards were also presented to 87 nautical tourist piers and 23 lakes.Turkey completed the top three with 625 eco-labels, demonstrating high compliance rates in the major tourist resorts of Antalya.In fourth place is Italy with 525 award-winning coasts, having included 14 new sites in its network for this season.Portugal follows in fifth place with 438 Blue Flags, a slight decrease compared to last year due to stricter controls and specific weather conditions affecting water quality in some places. It received flags for 396 beaches (350 coastal beaches and 46 river beaches), 21 marinas and 21 tourist boats.What is the Blue Flag award?The Blue Flag award is considered one of the most important internationally for the quality of coasts, marinas and sustainable tourism. Beaches are assessed against strict criteria including:water quality,safety and lifeguard services,accessibility,environmental protection,as well as cleanliness and waste management.Tourism analysts point out that the continued dominance of Mediterranean countries reflects increased investment in sustainable tourism infrastructure as more and more travellers choose destinations with certified environmental standards.For Greece, retaining second place for another year reinforces its reputation as one of Europe’s leading seaside destinations ahead of the 2026 summer season.