Fourth-tier Fleetwood Town knocked Premier League champions Arsenal out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday 27 October 2026, winning 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Highbury Stadium in Fleetwood.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi gave the hosts a shock lead in the 21st minute, battling off defender Marli Salmon to slot the ball past Arsenal's third-choice goalkeeper Illan Meslier. Viktor Gyökeres equalised for Arsenal early in the second half, but the visitors could not find a winner and finished with ten men after Max Dowman was sent off late on. The match had started strangely, with an eight-minute delay in the first ten minutes caused by a drone flying over the venue.

Perfect penalties, one big save

Fleetwood converted all five of their penalties in the shootout. Arsenal's Bruno Guimarães saw his kick saved by Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch in the fourth round, and Conor Haughey scored Fleetwood's winner. With no extra time at this stage of the competition, the tie went straight to penalties after 90 minutes.

A first since Bradford in 2012

It is the first time Arsenal have lost to a fourth-tier side since falling to Bradford City on penalties in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in 2012. For Fleetwood, a League Two club, it is one of the greatest results in their history, and they go into the fifth-round draw while Arsenal's defence of their domestic cup run ends in Lancashire.

Sources: USA Today and Sky Sports.