Clash of Clans: Why National Flags Were Removed

Supercell permanently removed real-world national flags from Clash of Clans in the Summer 2022 update to eliminate geopolitical tension, prevent player harassment, and preserve the game's fantasy universe. Every player who owned country flags received an automatic 100% Gold refund of 100,000 Gold per flag.

If you are redesigning an older base layout or looking to show national pride, you must now rely on Clan Settings, Clan Badges, and fictional decorations rather than individual village flags.

Why Supercell Removed National Flags

National flags originally entered Clash of Clans as simple 1x1 village decorations costing 100,000 Gold. Over time, having sovereign symbols inside a competitive global game produced several persistent issues:

• Targeted Harassment and Toxicity: Bases displaying specific national banners frequently became targets for revenge attacks, hostile clan descriptions, abusive chat messages, and offensive base layouts arranged to insult rival nations.
• Incomplete Representation: The in-game shop offered only a limited selection of flags. Players from omitted countries, autonomous regions, and disputed territories frequently petitioned for representation.
• Political Impartiality: Adding or denying disputed flags forced Supercell into taking unintentional diplomatic stances. Rather than selectively deciding which regions qualified for inclusion, the developers removed all sovereign flags uniformly.

The 100% Gold Refund Process

Supercell issued an automatic reimbursement when the removal patch went live:

• Refund Amount: 100,000 Gold per flag, matching the full shop purchase price.
• Coverage: The game automatically detected flags placed on the Home Village and those stored in the layout editor stash.
• Storage Overflow Protection: Returned funds were credited directly to accounts even if a player's Gold Storages were already at maximum capacity, ensuring no currency was lost.

Flag Status After the Update

The removal applied strictly to sovereign nation banners. Clash-themed fantasy flags and clan cosmetics remained untouched.

Next Actions: Updating Bases and Regional Identity

Because national flags are gone permanently, players should adjust their base building and clan recruitment methods accordingly:

1. Check Base Perimeter Gaps: Removing 1x1 flag tiles freed up space around village borders and inside compact cores. Inspect your defensive layouts to ensure the cleared tiles do not create accidental spawn holes or alter your troop-funneling paths.
2. Set Clan Location: To display your national identity, open your clan management panel and assign a specific country under Clan Location. This places your group on local leaderboards and makes the clan searchable to regional recruits.
3. Customize Clan Crests: Use custom heraldic colors, patterns, and badges within your Clan Profile to evoke regional colors without violating the fantasy aesthetic.
4. Clarify Regional Details in Descriptions: Use the Clan Description field to state primary spoken languages, active time zones, and regional war schedules.