According to a post on its official Facebook account on Tuesday October 27, 2026, Fleetwood Town produced a historic Carabao Cup upset on Tuesday, October 27, defeating Arsenal on penalties after holding the reigning Premier League champions to a 1-1 draw in the fourth round.

The result made Arsenal the first reigning Premier League champions to be eliminated from the League Cup by a fourth-tier club.

ESPN FC captured the scale of the shock in a post: “The first reigning PL champions to be knocked out of the League Cup by a League Two side 🤯”

The gulf between the teams was reflected in their reported squad valuations: Arsenal’s squad was worth €1.4 billion, compared with Fleetwood’s €2.8 million.

But at Highbury Stadium, Fleetwood—18th in League Two—matched their illustrious visitors and then held their nerve in the shootout.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi put the hosts ahead before Viktor Gyökeres equalized for Arsenal. The Gunners’ task became harder late in the second half when teenage forward Max Dowman was sent off, leaving the visitors to finish the match with ten men.

Neither side found a winner in regulation time, sending the tie to penalties. Fleetwood converted all five of their attempts, while goalkeeper Jay Lynch saved Bruno Guimarães’ spot-kick.

Nineteen-year-old defender Conor Haughey then scored the decisive penalty to secure a 5-3 shootout win.

The final kick sparked celebrations among Fleetwood’s players and supporters, with fans spilling onto the pitch to mark a victory that will rank among the club’s greatest achievements.

For Arsenal, the defeat ended their League Cup campaign in extraordinary fashion and turned a heavily rotated lineup into the focus of a night of unwanted history.