Jude Bellingham is set to become a minority investor in Birmingham Phoenix. The Cricketer has reported that the England and Real Madrid midfielder has bought a 1% stake in the Hundred franchise.
The move would bring one of English football’s biggest names into cricket ownership and add another high-profile name to The Hundred’s growing investor base. Birmingham Phoenix was valued at around £82 million during the competition’s recent investment round, meaning a 1% stake would be worth roughly £820,000. Some reports have placed the likely value of the deal closer to £1 million, depending on the exact share split involved.
This is a small stake in percentage terms, but not a token entry. Phoenix is one of the more visible franchises in The Hundred and is based at Edgbaston, one of England’s major cricket venues. Its ownership structure is already a significant part of the competition’s commercial story, with Knighthead Capital having acquired a 49 per cent stake in the franchise and Warwickshire retaining the remaining 51 per cent as host county.
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Why the move matters
Jude Bellingham’s investment stands out for its local connection. He came through Birmingham City before moving to Borussia Dortmund and then Real Madrid, which makes this more than a celebrity crossover play. It links one of England’s biggest sporting names to a Birmingham-based cricket team tied to the city where his rise began.
The wider context is just as important. The Hundred’s investment process has pushed franchise cricket in England into a different financial bracket, with the ECB saying the eight completed team partnerships across the competition represented a combined valuation of more than £975 million. Bellingham’s involvement, even at a small level, reflects the kind of cross-sport interest the tournament is now attracting.
Although the financial terms of the deal have not yet been revealed, Bellingham expressed his interest in cricket when asked about the ongoing development to ESPN. “You know I love Birmingham. I think I’m very grateful for what they have done for me. This is the whole city of Birmingham, really well. At least one-half. And then I love cricket as well. When I was younger, I used to play and now as I’ve got older, to understand the game a bit more and kind of watch it on the TV. That is what I watch. When the football’s not on, really. I enjoy the Test games the most. When I can, I watch it throughout the whole day when training finishes, and I can get back to watching it in the afternoon. I love it really. And so it was a perfect blend. And when I got the opportunity to get involved, you know, I didn’t really think twice about it, to be fair, and yeah, now I’m so happy to be on board.”