Fleetwood Town Stun Arsenal on Penalties in Carabao Cup

On 27 October 2026, the Fleetwood Town vs Arsenal Carabao Cup fourth-round tie ended in a stunning upset, as the League Two side eliminated the Premier League champions on penalties. Following a tense draw in normal time at Highbury Stadium, teenager Conor Haughey struck the decisive spot-kick to seal a historic victory and spark a memorable pitch invasion.

Shootout Drama and Pitch Invasion

The fourth-round tie was ultimately decided in a high-pressure penalty shootout after the two sides could not be separated during normal time. Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch provided the crucial advantage for the home side when he successfully saved an effort from Arsenal midfielder Bruno Guimarães.

The responsibility of securing the victory then fell to teenager Conor Haughey. The young player held his nerve to score the winning penalty against the Premier League champions, immediately prompting home supporters to flood the pitch in celebration of the monumental result.

Exchanging Blows in Normal Time

Before the drama of the shootout, the League Two outfit proved they could compete with English football's elite across standard time. Aaron Loupalo-Bi found the target for the hosts, while Viktor Gyökeres scored for Arsenal to ensure the match ended in a draw.

Gyökeres's strike was notable as it marked the first time Fleetwood had conceded a goal in this season's Carabao Cup. The lower-league side reached the fourth round on the back of three consecutive clean sheets, having previously eliminated Chesterfield, Shrewsbury, and Sheffield United without allowing a single goal.

A Tale of Two Highburys

The fixture offered a nostalgic naming connection for the visiting side. More than 20 years ago, Arsenal played their home matches at their own Highbury stadium in Islington. Fleetwood Town's home ground shares the exact same name, though it is located 250 miles northwest of the capital.

Despite the shared stadium name, the gulf in current league stature was significant. Arsenal entered the Carabao Cup tie as the reigning Premier League champions. In contrast, Fleetwood Town sat 18th in League Two, having collected just 14 points from 13 games prior to the match. Ultimately, that gap in the football pyramid counted for nothing as the Lancashire side executed a perfect shootout to advance in the League Cup.