Abstract text: Plant cell walls constitute a central battleground in the molecular arms race shaping plant–pathogen interactions. Pathogens deploy hydrolytic enzymes to breach plant cell walls, whereas plants perceive cell wall damage through sophisticated surveillance mechanisms. The mechanisms by which pathogens evade host recognition remain mostly unknown. Here, through integrated transcriptomic, genetic and biochemical analyses, we identify key enzymes from the fungal plant pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici that target wheat cell walls and prevent host recognition. ZtGH45, a β-glucanase, degrades mixed linked glucans and releases elicitors of the immune response. To avoid premature detection, Z. tritici produces this enzyme only at late stages of infection. ZtABF1, an α-L-arabinofuranosidase, contributes to nutrient acquisition and degradation of an immune-activating arabinoxylan-derived oligosaccharide. In addition, two mannan-degrading enzymes, ZtMan5 (endo-β-mannanase) and ZtMan2 (exo-β-mannanase), are co-expressed during infection. ZtMan5 depolymerizes mannan and releases mannan-derived elicitors of the host immunity, while ZtMan2 further degrades these oligosaccharides and prevents recognition. Together, our results reveal a coordinated strategy in which Z. tritici employs tightly regulated enzymes to prevent recognition by the host. Consequently, plant cell walls emerge as critical for the outcome of plant-pathogen interactions and pathogen evolution.