The League Cup match between Arsenal and Fleetwood Town was interrupted after two minutes of play when a drone flew over the Fleetwood stadium. The presence of the flying aircraft forced referee MichaelSalisbury to stop the match, which generated brief but intense uncertainty among players, coaches and fans.
Highbury Stadium, home of Fleetwood Town, was forced to close the field while the referee spoke with the coaches and the venue's security officer. After assessing the situation, Salisbury decided to suspend the match until the air safety issue was resolved. The spectators, not very satisfied with the interruption, expressed their discontent through boos.
The match had started at a frenetic pace, but the score remained at 0-0 when the game was stopped. The suspension lasted eight minutes, during which time the teams gathered in their rest areas to wait for the solution. Once it was confirmed that the drone had been removed from the area, the referee resumed the match without changing the result.
Although the incident did not alter the score or cause any injuries, it did highlight the importance of safety at sporting events. Arsenal and Fleetwood Town resumed the game with the same intensity, but the episode remained a curiosity in the history of the League Cup. No additional sanctions or disciplinary measures have been reported, and both teams have committed to collaborating with the authorities to avoid future incidents of this type.