Fleetwood Town to Host Arsenal in Carabao Cup Fourth Round

What changed

Fleetwood Town will host Arsenal in the Carabao Cup fourth round during the week commencing 26 October 2026.

Fleetwood reached the stage for the first time after beating Sheffield United 1-0, with Rhys Norrington-Davies scoring an own goal. Arsenal advanced by beating Ipswich Town 4-2.

The other ties include Liverpool v Chelsea, Everton v Newcastle and Bradford v Peterborough.

Why it matters

This is a rare kind of home fixture: Fleetwood get a Premier League champion at their own ground, while Arsenal must take a domestic cup trip to a League Two opponent.

The benefit for Fleetwood could extend beyond the ninety minutes. A high-profile tie may lift ticket demand, hospitality sales and attention for nearby pubs, restaurants and transport providers. How much reaches the club and local businesses will depend on attendance, ticket arrangements and how long visitors stay.

Supporters face the happier problem of demand for a match that many may want to attend. Arsenal, meanwhile, must decide how much first-team strength to use and manage the travel that comes with an away tie.

The likeliest path is Arsenal progressing while Fleetwood enjoy a concentrated burst of ticket demand, matchday activity and national attention. But if Fleetwood keep the contest alive and Arsenal rotate heavily, the home advantage could turn this from a glamorous draw into a genuine cup opportunity.

The last time this happened

In 2017, Sutton United were drawn at home to Arsenal in the FA Cup. The clubs occupied an even wider competitive divide: Sutton were a National League side, and the match was played in a different competition with different commercial conditions.

Arsenal won 2-0 on 20 February. Sutton went out, but the run brought lasting recognition and credit, while the surrounding cup occasion generated exceptional attention and spending at the ground. Our earlier reporting captured the draw; the outcome shows the useful lesson for Fleetwood: Arsenal may still be favoured, but the home club can win something valuable before the final whistle.

What to watch next

Fleetwood’s ticket sales and any sell-out announcement will show how sharply demand has risen. Arsenal’s squad selection will reveal whether the tie is treated as a rotation opportunity or a serious progression task. Local reports of increased hospitality bookings, transport planning or visitor spending will show whether the draw has moved beyond the fixture list and into the town itself.