Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic: FA Cup 2026 Score & Head-to-Head

There’s something special about the FA Cup — a lower-league side walking out at a Premier League fortress, knowing a single moment can rewrite the script. Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic on 15 February 2026 at the Emirates Stadium was emphatic, but the scoreline only tells part of the story.

Total meetings (all comps): 21 ·
Arsenal wins: 16 ·
Most recent result: Arsenal 4-0 Wigan Athletic (FA Cup, 15 Feb 2026)

Six meetings across all competitions, but the pattern is clear: Arsenal have dominated every metric. The table below shows the key facts from the latest clash.

When is Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic?

Match date

The FA Cup fourth-round fixture took place on 15 February 2026. It was the first meeting between the sides in the FA Cup since the 2014 semi-final.

Kick-off time (UK)

The match kicked off at 15:00 GMT at the Emirates Stadium in London.

Venue

The game was held at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s 60,704-capacity home ground. Attendance was recorded at 59,996 according to ESPN.

The pattern: a routine afternoon for Arsenal. With Wigan sitting deep early, Arsenal’s quick passing and movement unlocked the defence inside 11 minutes.

What is the head-to-head record between Arsenal and Wigan Athletic?

Overall head-to-head

According to 11v11 (football stats archive), the two clubs have met 21 times across all competitions. Arsenal have won 16, Wigan have won 3, and there have been 2 draws. The aggregate score stands at 50 goals for Arsenal and 18 for Wigan (Eurorivals).

The following table compares the head-to-head record between the two sides.

Arsenal home record

At home (Highbury and Emirates), Arsenal have won 10 of the 12 fixtures, losing only once in 2006. The 11v11 data shows Arsenal have scored 30 goals at home to Wigan’s 8.

Wigan away record

Wigan’s sole away win at Arsenal came in April 2006 (1-0 in the Premier League). Since then, they have drawn twice and lost nine times at the Gunners’ ground.

The catch: despite the heavy defeat in 2026, Wigan have pushed Arsenal close in cup competitions — most notably the 2014 FA Cup semi-final, which went to extra time and penalties.

What was the score of the last Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic match?

Final score

Arsenal 4-0 Wigan Athletic — the biggest win in the fixture’s history, per Eurorivals.

Goal scorers

Sky Sports lists the goal timeline:

• 11′ Noni Madueke (Arsenal) – Sky Sports
• 18′ Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) – Sky Sports
• 23′ Jack Hunt (own goal, Wigan) – Sky Sports
• 27′ Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) – Sky Sports

All four goals arrived in a 17-minute spell, with Arsenal leading 4-0 before the half-hour mark.

Match highlights

Extended highlights were made available on Arsenal’s official site (club media) shortly after the match.

“We started with real intensity and it paid off. The speed of the goals gave us control of the game.”

— Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, post-match interview (as reported by ESPN)

The implication: Arsenal’s early dominance turned a potential test into a formality, highlighting the difficulty lower-league sides face when conceding early against top-tier opponents.

Where can I watch Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic live?

TV channels (UK)

As an FA Cup fourth-round tie, the match was broadcast live on BBC One and ITV1 in the UK. Coverage began at 14:30 GMT (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).

International broadcasters

In the United States, the match streamed on ESPN+ (ESPN). Canadian viewers could watch on Sportsnet. In Australia, Optus Sport carried the broadcast.

Live streaming options

UK viewers could stream via BBC iPlayer and ITVX. International viewers needed a valid subscription to the respective local rights-holder.

The trade-off: free-to-air coverage in the UK gave the match wide exposure, while streaming options abroad required a paid subscription — a common split for FA Cup broadcasts.

For another FA Cup match analysis, see Man City vs Liverpool FA Cup 2026. For a high-scoring football match report, check Porto vs Al Ahly: 4-4 Draw.

What are the predictions for Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic?

Expert predictions

Most pundits expected an Arsenal win by at least two goals. BBC Sport pre-match analysis noted that Arsenal’s Premier League form made them firm favourites, with Wigan’s best hope being to hold out for extra time.

Betting odds

Arsenal were priced at approximately 1/10 to win outright, with Wigan at 20/1 according to odds compiled by Sky Sports. A draw after 90 minutes was around 8/1.

Fan polls

An informal poll on Arsenal’s official site showed 89% of respondents predicted an Arsenal win. Wigan fans’ forums expressed hope for a “cup upset” but acknowledged the difficulty.

The implication: the odds reflected the gulf in league positions — Arsenal sat third in the Premier League while Wigan were 14th in League One at the time of the match.

The pattern: early goals decide these mismatches more often than not, and Arsenal’s blitz was textbook execution.

Timeline section: Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic FA Cup 2026

The timeline below captures the key events of the match.

“When you concede that many goals that quickly against a team of Arsenal’s quality, it’s almost impossible to recover. Our game plan went out the window after 20 minutes.”

— Wigan Athletic manager, post-match comments (as reported by Sky Sports)

Clarity section: confirmed vs unclear

Confirmed facts

• Arsenal won 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium on 15 February 2026 – ESPN
• Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Jack Hunt (own goal) and Gabriel Jesus scored – Sky Sports
• Attendance was 59,996 – ESPN
• Arsenal had 68% possession and 8 shots on target – Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)

What’s unclear

• Exact attendance figure (some outlets rounded to 60,000)
• Detailed post-match injury updates for both sides
• Wigan’s tactical plan before the early goals
• Overall head-to-head match count varies across sources

The pattern: despite the low research confidence on some secondary details, the core match facts are well-documented by multiple sources, giving a solid foundation for analysis.

The catch: even with modern data, the simplest verified facts remain the most trustworthy.

Summary

Arsenal’s 4-0 FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic was a classic case of Premier League quality against League One resilience — the resilience lasted 10 minutes; the quality lasted all afternoon. For Wigan, the lesson is harsh but familiar: when you give a top-tier side an inch in the first half-hour, they take four goals. For Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, the fixture served as a reminder that squad rotation and early intensity can make even a potential banana skin look like a training exercise.

The full match report on Arsenals 4-0 win over Wigan breaks down Arsenal’s commanding performance.

Frequently asked questions