Drone stops play in bizarre incident in Fleetwood-Arsenal match in English League Cup
Fleetwood's coach Matt Lawlor, left, and Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta, center, talk with referee during the English League Cup soccer match between Fleetwood Town and Arsenal in Fleetwood, England, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. Credit: AP/Ian Hodgson
LONDON — A drone hovering above the stadium caused a delay in play inside two minutes of the English League Cup match between fourth-tier Fleetwood Town and Arsenal on Tuesday.
Arsenal had just been awarded a free kick when the referee spotted the drone and temporarily stopped play, leading to jeers from some fans inside Fleetwood's home ground, Highbury Stadium.
The delay lasted nearly eight minutes, with the referee speaking to the stadium safety officer, both managers and then some of the players before finally restarting the game.
The score was 0-0 at the time.
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