Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham buys stake in cricket's Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix

The England international, who famously had his number 22 shirt retired by Birmingham City before moving to Borussia Dortmund and later Real Madrid, has taken a 1.2 per cent equity stake in the cricket team based at Edgbaston. The midfielder will focus on community engagement and social responsibility projects, aiming to use his global profile to increase sports participation across the West Midlands. Explaining his decision to invest in his hometown team, Bellingham said to Warwickshire CCC: "I feel like I owe the city something. And this feels like a good way. When I got the opportunity to get involved, I didn't really think twice about it and I'm so happy to be on board."

The investment sees Bellingham align with some familiar faces. While Warwickshire County Cricket Club retains a majority 50.4 per cent controlling stake, the remaining 48.4 per cent is held by Knighthead Capital Management, the owners of Birmingham City. This puts Bellingham in the same boardroom circles as NFL legend Tom Brady, who is a minority investor in the football club's parent company.

Reflecting on his upbringing, the Real Madrid star spoke of his deep affection for his first club. "For me, Birmingham City are the best team I could have ever come through at and the best team I could have supported. I got the best upbringing into football, into life there," he added, noting that everyone in the city "cares for one another really well."

Despite being one of the best footballers on the planet, Bellingham revealed that cricket has always been a significant part of his life. He recalled growing up in Stourbridge and playing a variety of sports with his brother Jobe. "We're a competitive pair of lads. Pretty much everything we did ended in scraps and tears, whether it was Monopoly, or football and cricket," he admitted.

The midfielder also expressed his admiration for the etiquette of the game: "Cricket is probably my favourite thing to watch outside football. My favourite sport to watch, for sure. I enjoy the Test matches the most, when I can watch it throughout the whole day. There is a certain class and elegance to so many of the things: the toss, for example, and how the captains come out in their blazers and their caps on."

Bellingham’s entry into cricket comes during a massive financial restructuring of the 100-ball-a-side tournament. The league has seen over £520m in private investment ahead of 2026, with several teams undergoing significant rebrands to align with Indian Premier League (IPL) owners. Teams like Manchester Super Giants and MI London have entered the fray as part of this global expansion.

For Bellingham, the move is less about the finances and more about representing his home on the world stage. "It's a huge honour to represent Birmingham on the world stage. And it's something that I don't take lightly. I want to keep doing it in the right way, so that my people back home are proud of me," the midfielder concluded.

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