According to a report by Daily Mail on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Arsenal suffered a shocking Carabao Cup exit after losing to League Two outfit Fleetwood Town on penalties, in what has been described as one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.

Mikel Arteta’s team had been widely expected to secure a comfortable victory and advance to the quarter-finals. However, the Gunners failed to overcome their lower-league opponents after the match ended 1-1 in normal time, before Fleetwood triumphed in the penalty shootout.

Despite the significant gap in quality and status between the two clubs, Fleetwood delivered a determined and disciplined performance to secure a memorable victory in front of their home supporters.

Arsenal selected a strong lineup for the encounter, featuring Viktor Gyökeres, Kai Havertz and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Young players Max Dowman and Marli Salmon also featured, while Ceadach O’Neill made his first appearance for the senior team.

Fleetwood stunned the visitors in the 21st minute when Aaron Loupalo-Bi opened the scoring. The forward raced towards goal, got past Salmon and calmly finished to give the League Two side an unexpected advantage.

Arsenal struggled to create clear opportunities against their determined hosts before finding an equaliser five minutes into the second half. O’Neill delivered a cross into the box, and following a scramble in front of goal, Gyökeres managed to force the ball over the line.

The Gunners increased their attacking pressure in search of a winner, with Martin Ødegaard improving their play after coming off the bench. Nevertheless, Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch made several crucial saves to prevent Arsenal from taking the lead.

Arsenal’s hopes of completing a late comeback suffered another setback when 16-year-old Dowman received a straight red card. The teenager was sent off for kicking out at Harrison Neal following a challenge, with Arteta appearing frustrated as the youngster headed towards the tunnel.

Neither team managed to score again, forcing the contest into a penalty shootout. Lynch saved Bruno Guimarães’ spot-kick, while Fleetwood successfully converted all five of their penalties to complete the upset.

Conor Haughey converted the decisive penalty, triggering wild celebrations among Fleetwood’s players and supporters as the club secured its place in the quarter-finals.

The defeat represents a significant setback for Arteta and Arsenal, who entered the competition as reigning English champions and had hoped to continue their pursuit of another trophy.

For Fleetwood, however, the victory will remain a historic achievement. By eliminating one of English football’s biggest clubs, the League Two side delivered an unforgettable performance and secured a memorable moment in the club’s history.