Jude Bellingham Invests £1M in Cricket Team

When you're one of the world's best footballers, you could invest your money anywhere. Jude Bellingham chose to put it into the sport he loved first.

The 22-year-old England and Real Madrid star bought a 1.2% stake in Birmingham Phoenix, a professional cricket team that plays in The Hundred league. The deal, worth close to £1 million, connects Bellingham back to his Birmingham roots in a meaningful way.

Bellingham isn't just throwing money at cricket as a side investment. He played junior cricket at Hagley Cricket Club in Worcestershire as a kid, long before he became a football sensation with 46 England caps. When asked last year which athlete he'd swap places with, he named England Test captain Ben Stokes without hesitation.

The Birmingham Phoenix are based at Edgbaston, just miles from where Bellingham grew up. American investment group Knighthead Capital Management, which also owns Birmingham City Football Club where Bellingham started his career, purchased a 49% stake in the team for £40 million last year. Bellingham's small stake came from both Knighthead and Warwickshire County Cricket Club, which retained majority control at 50.4%.

The Ripple Effect

When sports stars invest in their hometowns, they send a powerful message about loyalty and community. Bellingham could have put his money into any venture around the world, but he chose Birmingham. His investment helps secure the future of a team that's part of cricket's exciting new Hundred format, which has drawn younger fans to the sport since launching in 2021.

The move also shows how athletes can support each other across sports. Legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady is also part of the Knighthead ownership group, creating an international network of sporting excellence all focused on Birmingham's success.

For young athletes in Birmingham, seeing Bellingham invest in local sports while starring on football's biggest stages proves you can make it to the top and still come home.