Fleetwood Town stunned Arsenal in the EFL Cup. Photo: Getty Images
Premier League champions Arsenal suffered a humiliating EFL Cup exit after fourth-tier Fleetwood Town pulled off an extraordinary penalty shootout upset, sparking a pitch invasion at Highbury Stadium.
A staggering 84 places separated the clubs before kick-off on Wednesday (AEDT), but League Two strugglers Fleetwood prevailed 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their 118-year history.
“The biggest cup shock of all time?,” Fleetwood – who are 18th in League Two with 14 points from 13 games – wrote via social media.
Want to win a free copy of EA SPORTS FC27? Become a Football360 member in October and you’ll automatically be in the running to win 1 of 5 free Ultimate Edition copies valued at $159.99 each! JOIN TODAY >
Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch told Sky Sports: “My voice has gone from organising the defence.
“The whole team throughout the game was magnificent. To beat the English champions – credit to these lads.
“We took heart from Grimsby beating Man Utd last year. We kind of compared it. A typical night in Fleetwood. We were expecting a storm, we knew the conditions would be horrible, so we thought it might go in our favour.
“Amazing for the club, the town. Honestly it means everything to everyone.”
The biggest cup shock of all time?
— Fleetwood Town Football Club (@ftfc) October 27, 2026
Fulham loanee Aaron Loupalo-Bi stunned Arsenal in the 21st minute, shrugging off teenage defender Marli Salmon before beating debutant goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Viktor Gyokeres equalised five minutes after half-time, but Arsenal’s hopes suffered another blow when 16-year-old sensation Max Dowman was sent off in the 85th minute after kicking out following a challenge.
“It was on the far side of the pitch, but from what we saw, Dowman can’t have any complaints,” former Everton midfielder Leon Osman said via BBC Radio 5 Live. “Yes, there were a lot of challenges flying in thick and fast from both teams, and then, there was that moment when a huge challenge came in on him, but as I mentioned earlier, they happen so often.
“And you have to know, as a good player, people are going to try to kick you at times, and that’s what happened. It was a poor reaction from him and you hope he learns and he learns quickly.”
Fleetwood held their nerve in the shootout, triggering wild celebrations as supporters flooded the pitch following one of the biggest results in the club’s history.
The match had earlier been halted for more than eight minutes after an unauthorised drone appeared above the stadium, with police reportedly locating its operator.
SCENES! 🤯 @ftfc reach the #CarabaoCup Quarter-Finals for the first time in their history! 🏆 #EFL https://t.co/F1D89R1R9N
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) October 27, 2026
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had warned his players about the dangers of complacency before kick-off, declaring: “Our reputation, our pride, everything is in play” as the Gunners started with Martin Odegaard and Bruno Guimaraes on the bench, while Eberechi Eze was an unused substitute.
The result evoked memories of Arsenal’s penalty shootout defeat to fourth-tier Bradford City in 2012-13, while Fleetwood celebrated a historic triumph against opponents three divisions above them.
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Kelly Somers said: “Does anyone need any proof that the magic of the cup is alive? This is it.”
Get more from football, for less. Unlock exclusive discounts, deals and experiences with a Football360 Membership. See all benefits here >