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Jude Bellingham has invested in Birmingham Phoenix, saying he wants to give back to his hometown through cricket.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham has bought a 1.2% stake in Birmingham Phoenix, saying he feels he owes the city something, as he deepens his links with his hometown club's wider sporting landscape.
The 22-year-old, who grew up in Stourbridge on the outskirts of Birmingham, has invested close to £1m in the Birmingham-based Hundred franchise. Birmingham Phoenix compete in the ECB's short-format competition, The Hundred, which features eight city-based teams.
Bellingham came through the academy at Birmingham City before moving to Borussia Dortmund, with the Championship club retiring his number 22 shirt in recognition of his rise. He now plays for Real Madrid, where he won the Champions League in 2024, and has become a regular for England with 46 international caps.
He described his investment as a way of giving back to Birmingham, where he also played junior cricket for Hagley Cricket Club in Worcestershire.
The franchise is based at Edgbaston and was among the teams put up for sale last year. American investment group Knighthead Capital Management, who also own Birmingham City, acquired a 49% stake for £40m, while Warwickshire retained control with 51%.
Bellingham has taken a combined 1.2% stake across both parties, leaving Warwickshire with 50.4% and continued majority control.
He said he wants to help promote sporting opportunities for young people, adding that access to sport should not depend on circumstance, and that he hopes his involvement can encourage participation in both cricket and football.
Knighthead's ownership group also includes former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, adding further global sporting profile to the project.
Bellingham previously said he would swap places with England Test captain Ben Stokes, underlining his long-standing interest in cricket alongside football.
