Fleetwood Town eliminates Arsenal from the EFL Cup

On October 27, 2026, the reigning English champions, Arsenal, suffered a historic defeat in the fourth round of the EFL Cup against Fleetwood Town, a club from England's fourth tier (League Two). The match, held at Highbury, concluded with a 1-1 draw after regular time, with Aaron Lupalo-Bae scoring for Fleetwood in the 21st minute. Despite Arsenal's dominant possession and pressure throughout the match, the visitors from Lancashire ultimately prevailed 5-3 in the penalty shootout, with Arsenal finishing the game with ten men.

This outcome marks a rare upset in English football history. OptaJoe reports that this is the first time a fourth-tier side has eliminated the reigning English champions from a domestic cup competition since 1992, when Wrexham also knocked out Arsenal. The two teams are currently separated by 84 places in the English league hierarchy, with Arsenal sitting 2nd in the Premier League and Fleetwood Town 18th in League Two. The result confirms Arsenal as the only reigning champion to be eliminated by a fourth-tier club on two separate occasions.