Jude Bellingham enters cricket ownership scene, invests in Hundred team Birmingham Phoenix

England and Real Madrid football star Jude Bellingham has entered the cricket franchise ownership space after buying a 1.2% stake in The Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix.

Warwickshire County Cricket Club is expected to make an official announcement soon, but reports from The Cricketer have confirmed the development.

49% stake in Phoenix sold to Knighthead Capital last year

In 2025, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had told the eight counties with teams in the Hundred that they would have to sell a 49% stake in the franchises to private players and keep 51% for themselves. They were also told that these 51% stakes could be sold to a private player if they so wished.

Warwickshire sold their 49% stake in Birmingham Phoenix to Knighthead Capital, an American investment fund. Knighthead Capital also owns the football team Birmingham City, who are currently competing in the second tier of English football.

Jude Bellingham's Birmingham and cricket connection

Jude Bellingham originally hails from the city of Birmingham, which is where he grew up after being born in the town of Stourbridge outside the city.

As a teenager, Jude Bellingham also played cricket for the Hagley Cricket Club, which is originally based in Birmingham, before switching to a career in professional football. In his football career, Birmingham City was the first team that he played for. He was only 16 years old at the time.

Warwickshire disclose shares sold to an investor

Warwickshire recently filed their annual report, in which they revealed that they had sold around 1.2% stakes in Birmingham Phoenix to an investor in January 2026. The county also declared that they only held 0.6% of these shares that were sold to the investor.

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This means that Jude Belllingham bought 0.6% stakes each from both Warwickshire County and Knighthead Capital. Due to this transaction, Warwickshire are left 50.4%, and Knighthead Capital are left with 48.4% stakes in Birmingham Phoenix, respectively.

Jude Bellingham's shares valued at around £1 million

In that same annual report, Warwickshire estimated that Bellingham's 1.2% stake is worth approximately £1 million (approx. ₹ 12.66 crores).

Warwickshire said that this value was "fair" and based on Knighthead's initial purchase. This means that Warwickshire's original 51% stake in Birmingham Phoenix cost around £48 million (approx. ₹ 607.67 crores).

What's next for Phoenix

The now Jude Bellingham co-owned Birmingham Phoenix have never won the men's or the women's title in The Hundred despite playing for five years each. In 2026, they have named rising England star Jacob Bethell as the men's captain and Australia legend Ellyse Perry as the women's captain.

Scottish all-rounder Scott Currie was the Phoenix's most expensive purchase at the first-ever The Hundred auction held earlier this year. Phoenix shelled out £210,000 (approx. ₹2.66 crores) for him. They were also one of two teams to buy a Pakistani player at the auction, having signed mystery spinner Usman Tariq for £140,000 (approx. ₹1.77 crores).

Phoenix's most expensive women's signing was left-arm spinner and WPL winner with RCB Linsey Smith. The franchise signed her for £100,000 (approx. ₹1.27 crores).