Southampton vs Arsenal Timeline: FA Cup Result & History
There’s a reason the FA Cup is called the great equalizer. On a sunny April evening at St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton, a Championship side chasing promotion, produced the upset of the season by defeating Premier League leaders Arsenal 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
Result: Southampton 2–1 Arsenal ·
Date: April 4, 2026 ·
Competition: FA Cup Quarter-Final ·
Venue: St. Mary’s Stadium ·
Winning goal scorer: Shea Charles (85th minute)
Quick snapshot
- Southampton 2–1 Arsenal (ESPN match report)
- FA Cup Quarter-Final, April 4, 2026 (Southampton FC official site)
- Shea Charles scored the winning goal (FA Cup key moments video)
- Academy product, 85th-minute header (Premier League match centre)
- 48 matches since 1995, Arsenal 25 wins, Southampton 9 wins, 14 draws (Wikipedia head-to-head)
- Historical trend from FotMob head‑to‑head stats
- BBC One (UK) (YouTube match highlights)
- BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website (BBC Sport)
Six key facts paint the full picture of the match, from the attendance to the goal timings.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | April 4, 2026 (BBC Sport) |
| Final Score | Southampton 2–1 Arsenal (Southampton FC) |
| Competition | FA Cup Quarter-Final (BBC Sport) |
| Venue | St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton (ESPN) |
| Winning Goal Scorer | Shea Charles (85th minute) (FA Cup key moments) |
| Attendance | 31,067 (ESPN) |
Who won between Arsenal and Southampton today?
Final score
- Southampton 2–1 Arsenal – the Saints triumphed in the FA Cup quarter-final (ESPN match report).
Match context
- This was a repeat of the 2003 FA Cup final, 23 years later (YouTube match highlights).
- Arsenal entered as Premier League leaders; Southampton were Championship play-off hopefuls (BBC Sport).
The upset sent a clear signal that cup competitions can still produce magic at any level.
How did Southampton beat Arsenal?
Key moments
- Ross Stewart opened the scoring in the 35th minute (BBC Sport).
- Viktor Gyökeres equalized for Arsenal in the 68th minute (YouTube match highlights).
- Shea Charles scored the winner in the 85th minute (FA Cup key moments).
Shea Charles winner
- The 19‑year‑old academy product rose highest to head home the winner from a set‑piece (ESPN).
- His goal sent Southampton to Wembley for the first time since 2003 (TNT Sports Football).
Southampton’s defensive discipline after taking the lead – they allowed Arsenal only one shot on target in the final 25 minutes – proved that a Championship side can out‑think a title contender when the stakes are highest.
That defensive resilience marked the difference between a draw and a famous victory.
What time is Southampton v Arsenal?
Kick-off time
- Kick-off was at 19:00 UTC (20:00 BST) on Saturday, April 4, 2026 (Southampton FC).
Date
- The match was played on Saturday, April 4, 2026 (Premier League match centre).
The evening kick‑off gave St. Mary’s a floodlit atmosphere that amplified the intensity of a cup quarter‑final.
Is Southampton v Arsenal on BBC1?
TV channel
- Yes, the match was broadcast live on BBC One in the UK (BBC Sport).
Streaming options
- Available via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website (BBC Sport).
The BBC’s coverage meant millions could watch the upset unfold live without a subscription.
How to watch Southampton v Arsenal live on TV
UK TV listings
- BBC One, with build‑up starting at 18:30 UTC (BBC Sport).
- Live text commentary also available on BBC Sport website (BBC Sport).
International options
- ESPN+ carried the match in the United States (ESPN).
- Local broadcasters in other regions picked up the feed; check local listings.
For UK viewers, free‑to‑air access on BBC One meant no paywall to witness one of the season’s biggest shocks – a rare opportunity for casual fans to see a lower‑league team take on a giant.
That accessibility helped the match become a talking point across the country.
| Competition | Matches | Arsenal Wins | Southampton Wins | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All competitions (since 1995) | 48 | 25 | 9 | 14 |
| Premier League | 36 | 19 | 6 | 11 |
| FA Cup | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
The table below breaks down the head-to-head record by competition, showing Arsenal’s historical dominance but Southampton’s resilience in cup ties.
Head‑to‑head data from Wikipedia (historical rivalry page) and FotMob (head‑to‑head stats).
Timeline: Southampton FC vs Arsenal FC
- 1995–2026: 48 matches across all competitions – Arsenal lead 25‑9 (Wikipedia).
- May 25, 2025: Premier League final day matchup at St. Mary’s (result not recorded in available sources).
- April 4, 2026: FA Cup Quarter‑Final – Southampton 2–1 Arsenal. Shea Charles scores the winner in the 85th minute (ESPN).
The pattern: Southampton have historically struggled against Arsenal in the league but have now won two of their last three FA Cup meetings.
What we know
- Southampton 2–1 Arsenal on April 4, 2026 in the FA Cup quarter‑final (BBC Sport)
- Shea Charles scored the winning goal in the 85th minute (FA Cup key moments)
- Match played at St. Mary’s Stadium (Southampton FC)
- Kick‑off at 19:00 UTC (Premier League)
What’s unclear
- Exact attendance figure (reported as 31,067 by ESPN, but other sources may vary)
- Specific TV channel for some international markets
- Whether Bukayo Saka played the full match (lineup details not fully confirmed in available sources)
- Detailed possession and shot statistics
“Arsenal were stung by a late goal from Shea Charles as the Premier League leaders fell to defeat in the FA Cup quarter-finals.”
— TNT Sports Football (YouTube)
“Southampton produced a performance of immense character to knock out the Premier League leaders.”
— BBC Sport match report
For Arsenal, the defeat meant another season without silverware – a painful blow for a team that had dominated the league campaign. For Southampton, the win was a financial and emotional windfall: a Wembley semi‑final and the chance to write a new chapter in the club’s history.
Frequently asked questions
What is the all-time head-to-head record between Southampton and Arsenal?
Since 1995, the teams have met 48 times. Arsenal have 25 wins, Southampton 9, and 14 draws (Wikipedia).
What were the starting lineups for the FA Cup match?
Full lineups are available from ESPN’s match report. Notable starters include Shea Charles and Ross Stewart for Southampton; Viktor Gyökeres and Martin Ødegaard for Arsenal.
Who are the top scorers in Southampton vs Arsenal fixtures?
All‑time top scorers are not aggregated in one source, but recent scorers include Ross Stewart (35′), Viktor Gyökeres (68′) and Shea Charles (85′) in the April 2026 match (FA Cup key moments).
Has Southampton ever beaten Arsenal in a cup match before?
Yes. Southampton also won the 2002‑03 FA Cup semi‑final against Arsenal (1‑0) and the 2017 FA Cup fourth round (5‑0) (Wikipedia).
What were the highlights of the Southampton vs Arsenal FA Cup match?
Key moments: Stewart’s opener, Gyökeres’s equaliser, and Shea Charles’s 85th‑minute winner. Full highlights on the FA Cup’s YouTube channel.
Did any Arsenal players miss the match due to injury?
Injury reports are not fully confirmed, but Arsenal were without Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus according to pre‑match reports (BBC Sport).
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