Drone disruption brings Arsenal and Fleetwood Town match to an early halt

Arsenal’s English League Cup match against Fleetwood Town was briefly suspended after a drone was spotted flying above the pitch at Highbury just two minutes after kick-off.

Referee Michael Salisbury stopped play when the aircraft appeared over the stadium. The players initially remained on the field, passing the ball among themselves while they waited for the drone to leave the area.

However, the drone was still flying nearby after about five minutes. Following discussions with both managers, Salisbury instructed the players to leave the pitch and return to their dressing rooms until the situation could be resolved.

Police identified the person operating the drone two minutes later, allowing the match to restart soon afterwards once the immediate danger had passed.

The incident followed Football Association guidance requiring referees to stop a match immediately if a drone is seen above a football ground. According to British newspaper The Sun, the instructions state that both captains and the two managers should be told that play cannot resume until the drone has left the area around the players and spectators.

The guidance also says that, if there is no sign of the drone moving away, the referee should, where possible, send both teams to their dressing rooms. The procedure is similar to that used when severe weather or another hazard makes it necessary to clear the pitch.

Responsibility for deciding where drones are legally permitted to fly does not rest with match officials, the guidance makes clear. However, it specifically prohibits drones from being used for filming or media purposes above the playing area from the moment players begin their warm-up until they have left the pitch at the end of the match.

The fixture information accompanying the report listed Fleetwood in League One against Bristol Rovers on 31 October 2026. It also included a Premier League listing involving Liverpool on 1 November 2026 and a separate listing for Arsenal.