Jude Bellingham has expanded his sporting footprint beyond football by acquiring a minority stake in The Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix, marking a notable crossover investment into cricket from one of England’s biggest stars.
The Real Madrid midfielder, who was born in Stourbridge and raised in Birmingham, has purchased a 1.2% share in the franchise.
The stake has been split evenly between Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Knighthead Capital Management, the latter already a major investor in the team and owner of Birmingham City FC.
Warwickshire continue to hold majority control of the franchise with 50.4% ownership, while Knighthead’s share now stands at 48.4%.
The move further strengthens the Phoenix’s local identity, with Bellingham becoming one of the most high-profile athletes to invest in The Hundred.
Despite his global football commitments, the 22-year-old has never hidden his affection for cricket. Having played junior cricket at Hagley Cricket Club during his teenage years, Bellingham has often spoken about his admiration for the sport, even once naming Ben Stokes as the athlete he would swap careers with for a day.
Speaking after the investment was confirmed, Jude Bellingham underlined his emotional connection to the city and his desire to give back.
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“I love Birmingham. I’m very grateful for what the whole city of Birmingham has done for me. I love cricket as well, so when I got the opportunity to get involved, I didn’t really think twice about it, so I’m so happy to be on board,” he said.
“I’m so grateful to Birmingham, the Stourbridge area and the West Midlands as a whole. I got the best upbringing into football, into life through Birmingham City. I feel like I owe the city something. Right now, it’s difficult with how busy I am with football, but if there’s a way in which I can help then I want to and this feels like a good way.”
Beyond the financial aspect, his role is expected to extend into community engagement and social initiatives.
Warwickshire highlighted that Bellingham will contribute to projects aimed at increasing sports participation across Birmingham, particularly among young people.
“I think it’s so important to get kids out there playing sports. I think it’s crucial and the opportunity of me being a part of Birmingham Phoenix is to try and help people realise there’s different avenues,” he added.
“Some people will enjoy football, some will enjoy cricket — it’s about creating opportunities.”
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