Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic Lineups: Confirmed XI & Result

There’s something about a cup tie that makes even a routine fixture feel loaded with meaning — and when Arsenal welcomed Wigan Athletic to the Emirates Stadium on 15 February 2026, the FA Cup fourth-round clash offered a rare glimpse into how Mikel Arteta’s squad depth holds up when the Premier League takes a backseat. The final score, a convincing 4-0 win for the Gunners, tells one story, but the lineup choices behind it reveal another about rotation, trust, and the business end of a cup run.

Final Score: Arsenal 4-0 Wigan Athletic ·
Date: 15 February 2026 ·
Competition: FA Cup 2025/26 ·
Venue: Emirates Stadium

The table below compiles all confirmed facts about the match into a single reference.

The implication: five of six key match details are verified by tier-1 or tier-2 sources, leaving only attendance unconfirmed.

Who scored in Arsenal vs Wigan?

Match report and key moments

Arsenal put four goals past Wigan Athletic inside 17 minutes, according to ESPN’s match coverage, turning the FA Cup fourth-round tie into a one-sided affair by the time the half-hour mark passed. The Gunners, playing at home, were clinical from the first whistle — a flurry that effectively killed the contest before Wigan could settle.

• Arsenal 4-0 Wigan Athletic — final score (BBC Sport)
• Scorers: not fully listed in available sources, but report indicates four separate goals
• Wigan offered little in response, with Arsenal dominating possession and shot count

Analysis of goals

The scoring burst — four goals in 17 minutes as reported by ESPN — illustrated the gap in quality between a Premier League side and lower-league opposition in the FA Cup. Mikel Arteta’s rotated squad still managed to execute at speed, suggesting that the second-choice XI can function as a first-choice attack when the system clicks.

How is Arsenal’s lineup today?

Starting XI

Arsenal fielded a 4-2-3-1 formation, according to the Sky Sports team sheet, with Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal. The full confirmed XI: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben White, William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus.

• Formation: 4-2-3-1 (Sky Sports)
• Key changes: David Raya absent; Kepa started
• Eze and Jesus both started (OneFootball)
• Lewis-Skelly at left-back — reported as “the Lewis-Skelly experiment” by Sports Mole

Formation used

The 4-2-3-1 shape gave Arsenal a solid base with two holding midfielders — Nørgaard and Rice — while Eze operated as the advanced playmaker. Sky Sports listed the back four as White, Saliba, Mosquera, and Lewis-Skelly, with Calafiori absent from the starting XI.

Key players included

Eberechi Eze, starting in the No. 10 role, and Gabriel Jesus, leading the line, were the two double-digit names flagged by OneFootball as the core of Arsenal’s attacking movement. Nørgaard offered defensive cover alongside Rice.

Absentees

David Raya was notably absent from the starting XI. The Wikipedia entry for David Raya confirms he is Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper, but for this cup tie, Arteta opted for Kepa — suggesting rotation for the FA Cup run. Bukayo Saka was also absent from the lineup.

Is Arsenal vs Wigan on TV? Channel, kick-off time and how to watch FA Cup

TV channel details

As of the published previews, the exact broadcast channel for the Arsenal vs Wigan FA Cup fourth-round tie had not been confirmed by the FA or the official Radio Times preview. The match was listed as available on television and streaming via the broadcaster’s app.

• Likely: Sky Sports or BBC One (based on past FA Cup fourth-round slots)
• Streaming: via Sky Go or BBC iPlayer (depending on broadcaster)
• Kick-off: 4:30pm UK time (Radio Times)

Streaming options

If the match is on Sky Sports, subscribers can stream via the Sky Go app. If BBC, the iPlayer app is available free for UK residents. The Radio Times preview suggests the match will be a standard free-to-air or subscription broadcast.

Kick-off time

The match was scheduled for 4:30pm GMT on Sunday 15 February 2026, according to Radio Times. This is a standard FA Cup fourth-round Sunday slot, allowing for maximum broadcast reach.

Is Arsenal vs Wigan confirmed?

Match date

The FA Cup fourth-round tie was confirmed for 15 February 2026 by BBC Sport and ESPN, both publishing live coverage on that date. The fixture was listed in the FA Cup 2025/26 calendar.

Competition

The match was part of the FA Cup 2025/26 season, fourth round, as confirmed by Radio Times previews. Wigan Athletic, a League One side, were the lower-division opponent.

Venue

Emirates Stadium, London — the home ground of Arsenal, as listed by ESPN.

Where is David Raya today?

Goalkeeper rotation

David Raya was not in the starting lineup for the Arsenal vs Wigan match. Wikipedia lists Raya as an Arsenal goalkeeper, but the FA Cup fixture saw Kepa Arrizabalaga start in goal. This is consistent with Arteta’s pattern of rotating keepers for cup ties.

Kepa Arrizabalaga starts

Kepa, on loan or permanent from Chelsea, started against Wigan, as confirmed by Sky Sports. His inclusion signals that Raya was either rested or absent for personal reasons.

David Raya’s absence explanation

While no official statement from the club explained Raya’s absence, the pattern of Arsenal’s lineup — with Kepa starting — suggests Arteta treats the FA Cup as a squad-rotation opportunity. Wikipedia indicates Raya is the first-choice keeper, so this is likely a cup rest.

Related reading: Chelsea FC vs FC Barcelona Lineups: 2025 UCL Preview

For a deeper look at the match, you can read the full FA Cup highlights and match report from the Emirates Stadium.

Frequently asked questions

For Arsenal supporters, the 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic confirms one thing: the squad depth can handle a cup run. For Wigan, the takeaway is starker — against a second-string Arsenal side, the gap was still four goals in 17 minutes. The pattern for lower-league teams in the FA Cup is that even a rotated Premier League side remains a full step above.