Jude Bellingham Buys Stake in Birmingham Phoenix Cricket Team

Jude Bellingham, the England and Real Madrid footballer, has bought a stake in the cricket team Birmingham Phoenix, with the deal expected to be confirmed on Wednesday.

“Bellingham has 46 caps for England England and Real Madrid footballer Jude Bellingham has bought a 1”

BBC

The BBC said Bellingham has 46 caps for England and that he “has bought a 1.2% stake in cricket team Birmingham Phoenix.”

BBC

The Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix is based at Edgbaston, and the BBC described the side as one of the eight Hundred franchises put up for sale last year.

The BBC also reported that American investment group Knighthead Capital Management, which owns Bellingham’s former club Birmingham City, bought a 49% stake for “£40m,” while Warwickshire retained their 51% stake.

In the BBC’s account, Bellingham took “0.6% from each party,” leaving Warwickshire with control at “50.4%.

Multiple outlets tied the investment to a valuation around £1 million, with the BBC saying “The deal, worth close to £1m, will be confirmed on Wednesday.”

Other reporting put the stake at “around £800,000,” including The Independent, which said Bellingham bought “a one per cent stake” and that he “is thought to have invested around £800,000.”

The stake purchase is described as a small but consequential change in the shareholding structure of Birmingham Phoenix, with outlets giving specific percentages and different valuations.

The BBC said Knighthead Capital Management bought “a 49% stake for £40m,” Warwickshire kept “their 51% stake,” and Bellingham took “0.6% from each party,” leaving Warwickshire at “50.4%.

BeSoccer Livescore

ESPNcricinfo’s reporting, citing Warwickshire’s annual report, said the transaction involved “1.2% of the shares in Birmingham Phoenix” sold in January 2026 to “an investor,” with “0.6% was held by the club,” resulting in “the club now holds 50.4% of the shares in the franchise, while Knighthead holds 48.4%.”

The Independent similarly said Bellingham bought “around a 0.5 per cent stake from each party,” and it described Warwickshire as retaining “the other 51 per cent.”

The Mirror and Birmingham Live both described the stake as “1%,” with The Mirror saying Bellingham acquired “a 1% stake” and Birmingham Live reporting he “has bought a 1% stake.”

Valuation figures also vary across outlets: the BBC said “close to £1m,” The Independent said “around £800,000,” and ESPNcricinfo estimated Bellingham’s stake “to be worth around £1 million.”

The Mirror added that Bellingham’s share was “worth at least £800,000” and that the franchise was “valued at around £82m.”

Across the coverage, Bellingham’s cricket background is used to frame why the investment fits his personal interests, with multiple outlets pointing to his youth playing.

“Jude Bellingham buys stake in Birmingham Phoenix cricket team Footballing megastar Jude Bellingham has returned to his Birmingham roots to invest in the city's Hundred cricket team, with the Real Madrid midfielder's involvement set to be announced on Wednesday Former Birmingham City star Jude Bellingham has bought a 1% stake in the Birmingham Phoenix cricket team”

Birmingham Live

The BBC said Bellingham “is a cricket fan and played junior cricket for Hagley Cricket Club in Worcestershire,” and it noted that he is “a cricket fan” in the context of the stake purchase.

The BBC also described a past interview in which Bellingham said he would swap places with England Test captain Ben Stokes, reporting that he “said England Test captain Ben Stokes.”

The Independent likewise said Bellingham is “known to be a cricket lover and played the game for Hagley in Worcestershire as a junior,” and it added that he “is set to be officially confirmed on Wednesday.”

Mint described Bellingham as “the 22-year-old superstar” and said he “has acquired a 1.2% stake in the Edgbaston-based franchise,” while also quoting his swap preference: “If I could swap for one day with an athlete from another sport? I'd swap with Ben Stokes.”

Punch Newspapers also tied the investment to his cricket interest, stating he “has a known interest in cricket” and that he “played junior cricket at Hagley Cricket Club in Worcestershire.”

In addition to the cricket connection, ESPNcricinfo provided biographical detail about Bellingham’s early football career, saying he “became their youngest first-team player as a 16-year-old,” and it also said he was “born in Stourbridge and attended the Priory School in the Edgbaston area.”

The stake deal is also presented as part of a broader investment footprint tied to Knighthead Capital Management, which appears repeatedly as the common thread between Birmingham City and Birmingham Phoenix.

The BBC said Knighthead Capital Management “own Bellingham's former club Birmingham City,” and it added that “Legendary NFL quarterback Brady is also part of the Knighthead group.”

Mint

ESPNcricinfo likewise described Knighthead as “the American investment fund who own Birmingham City FC,” and it said “Knighthead Capital, the American investment fund who own Birmingham City FC, bought a 49% stake in the franchise last year to become co-owners along with host county Warwickshire.”

The Independent stated that the Phoenix franchise was valued at “around £82million” after Knighthead acquired “a 49 per cent stake,” and it said the sales process was “initiated by the England and Wales Cricket Board, organiser of The Hundred.”

The Mirror and Birmingham Live both described the Knighthead stake acquisition as coming when “the eight franchises were put up for sale last year,” with The Mirror saying Knighthead secured “a 49% share for £48million” and Warwickshire holding “on to a 51% stake.”

ESPNcricinfo added a regulatory detail, saying the ECB had set a “five-year lock-in period” for new investors, and that Bellingham’s investment was “permitted” because his interest was flagged by “both Warwickshire and Knighthead at the time of the initial transaction early last year.”

The Mirror also claimed that if Bellingham paid “£800,000 for his 1% share,” “£80,000 of that would be redistributed via the ECB to grassroots cricket,” with “the bulk of the money split between Warwickshire and Knighthead Capital.”

While the Bellingham investment is framed as a new high-profile partnership, Firstpost also included a skeptical view of The Hundred’s long-term prospects, quoting former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.

“Trending: West Asia war updates US-Iran peace talks 1 year of Pahalgam terror attack Apple next CEO IPL 2026 BTS agency chairman advertisement Star footballer Bellingham invests in Hundred cricket franchise after IPL backing: Report FirstCricket Staff _•_ April 22, 2026, 06:20:25 IST advertisement Real Madrid footballer Jude Bellingham has entered the cricket market, buying a minority stake in a Hundred side after IPL team owners backed the tournament with large investments”

Firstpost

Firstpost said the Hundred’s investment wave followed “Indian Premier League teams invested heavily in four teams,” and it listed the four teams as “Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds,” while also listing the remaining four sides as “London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire.”

Punch Newspapers

In the same report, Lalit Modi told former England captain Michael Vaughan on a podcast that “It’ll die in three years,” and he added “Completely die. It’ll be finished. It won’t be there. I guarantee it. In three to four years, it won’t exist.”

Modi’s reasoning, as quoted by Firstpost, included that “It’s in the month of August,” that “There’s no promotion or marketing behind it,” and that “Sky has no reason to promote it.”

He also argued that “There is no money coming into the game,” and he said “The return comes from media rights and nothing else.”

Modi further said “Football is taking over the English market,” and he described the subscription challenge by saying “You can’t milk something that is not milkable, guys. I mean, you can’t go and milk a cow when you can’t milk the bloody thing. It’s running out of juice.”

The BBC’s coverage, by contrast, emphasized the business mechanics and the confirmation timing, stating “The deal, worth close to £1m, will be confirmed on Wednesday,” and it positioned Bellingham’s stake as a direct transfer of “0.6% from each party” that preserved Warwickshire’s control at “50.4%.”