Jude Bellingham acquires minority stake in Birmingham Phoenix Hundred franchise 2026

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has purchased a minority stake in Birmingham Phoenix, the Hundred franchise based in Birmingham.

New franchise investors American investment fund Knighthead Capital, which owns Birmingham City FC, became co-owners of Birmingham Phoenix last year by acquiring a 49% stake alongside Warwickshire, the host county. The Cricketer reported on Tuesday that Bellingham, who spent his childhood in Birmingham and now plays for Real Madrid, has since bought a small portion of the franchise from both Knighthead and Warwickshire. ## Ownership changes after purchase Warwickshire’s latest annual report confirmed that in January 2026, a transaction involving 1.2% of Birmingham Phoenix shares was completed, with 0.6% retained by the club itself. Following Bellingham’s investment, Warwickshire now holds 50.4% of the franchise, while Knighthead’s share stands at 48.4%. The valuation of Bellingham’s stake is estimated to be roughly £1 million. ## Franchise valuation details Warwickshire’s annual report also assigned a ‘fair value’ of £48 million to the club’s 51% majority interest in Birmingham Phoenix. This valuation was determined based on the initial purchase price paid by Knighthead and an ‘appropriate control premium applied to the majority holding’. ## Investment rules and exceptions When the eight Hundred franchises sold stakes last year, an ECB policy introduced a ‘five-year lock-in period’ for new investors. However, Bellingham’s stake was permitted because both Warwickshire and Knighthead disclosed his interest at the time of their original transaction in early 2025. A comparable arrangement allowed Seattle Orcas’ co-owners to purchase a minority stake in Southern Brave in January 2026. ## Bellingham’s sporting roots Bellingham began his sporting journey at Birmingham City’s academy, joining at Under-8 level and later becoming the club’s youngest first-team player at age 16. After one full season with Birmingham City, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund for an estimated £22.75 million before joining Real Madrid in 2023 for around £88 million. Born in Stourbridge, he attended Priory School in Edgbaston and played junior cricket for Hagley Cricket Club as a teenager. ## Bellingham’s cricket admiration Known for his passion for cricket, Bellingham has previously stated that if he could swap roles with any athlete for a day, he would choose England Test captain Ben Stokes. His interest in the Hundred aligns with his background and local ties to Birmingham and Warwickshire. ## Phoenix team and leadership Birmingham Phoenix is one of three Hundred franchises yet to win either the men’s or women’s competition, and neither team qualified for the play-offs in 2025. The men’s team will be captained by England batter Jacob Bethell this season, while the women’s side will be led by Australian allrounder Ellyse Perry. ## Future announcements expected Warwickshire has not yet commented on Bellingham’s investment but is anticipated to officially confirm the deal on Wednesday. Knighthead’s involvement in Birmingham Phoenix is part of broader plans to develop a ‘Sports Quarter’ in Birmingham, which includes plans for a new 62,000-seat football stadium. ## Knighthead’s Birmingham vision Knighthead co-founder Tom Wagner has successfully secured government funding for new transport links and views the Hundred as a key opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to the city. Wagner has been appointed to the Phoenix board alongside Andrew Shannahan and Kyle Kneisly, both of whom also serve on Birmingham City FC’s board. NFL legend Tom Brady holds a small interest in Knighthead but will not take a director role. ## Warwickshire’s board control Warwickshire’s majority ownership of Birmingham Phoenix is reflected in its control of four out of seven board seats. The directors representing Warwickshire on the Phoenix board are Mark McCafferty (chair), Stuart Cain (chief executive), Craig Flindall (strategy director), and Adam Lowe (commercial director).