Fleetwood End Arsenal Cup Run

Fleetwood Town eliminated Arsenal from the League Cup on Tuesday. The fourth-tier side won 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The result stands as one of the largest shocks in English football history.

Arsenal entered the match as Premier League champions. Fleetwood plays in the fourth tier of the English football pyramid. The penalty shootout decided the fourth-round tie. The scoreline reflects a rare instance of a top-flight titleholder falling to a lower-league opponent in a major cup competition.

This defeat joins a list of notable upsets in English cup history. In 1992, Wrexham defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the FA Cup. That season, 90 league positions separated the two clubs. Alan Smith scored for Arsenal, but Mickey Thomas and Steve Watkin provided goals for Wrexham.

Bradford City beat Chelsea 4-2 in the 2015 FA Cup. Chelsea led 2-0 through goals by Gary Cahill and Ramires. Bradford, then in the third tier, scored four goals to overturn the deficit. Jon Stead, Filipe Morais, Andy Halliday, and Mark Yeates found the net for Bradford at Stamford Bridge.

Hereford United shocked Newcastle United 2-1 in the 1972 FA Cup. Malcolm Macdonald put Newcastle ahead with eight minutes remaining. Ronnie Radford equalized with a shot from 25 yards. Ricky George scored the winner in extra time for the non-league side.

Wimbledon beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 1988 FA Cup final. Wimbledon had been a third-tier team just four years prior. Liverpool had won the league title by nine points. Lawrie Sanchez headed in Dennis Wise’s free kick. Dave Beasant saved John Aldridge’s penalty to secure the win.

Grimsby Town defeated Manchester United 12-11 on penalties in the 2025 League Cup. Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren gave Grimsby a 2-0 lead. Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire scored for United to force extra time. Ruben Amorim managed United during that second-round loss.