What Did Tom Brady’s English Soccer Experiment Achieve?

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady only lasted three years as a minority owner of English soccer club Birmingham City, a tenure wrapped in controversy, silverware and Hollywood derbies.

Brady became the latest big-name investor to throw his money at a struggling soccer team overseas back in August 2023. Following in the footsteps of Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, the former New England Patriots quarterback joined the Knighthead takeover alongside his friend and business partner Tom Wagner of then-Championship side Birmingham City.

Fast forward to November 2026 and the Blues confirmed Brady sold his shares and left the club. “Birmingham City Football Club expresses its sincere gratitude to Tom Brady for his involvement with and unwavering support for the club over the last three years,” the club said in a statement.

“It was truly amazing to have someone with Tom’s experience and passion associated with the club, and the club looks forward to continuing to build on that foundation from the training ground to the Birmingham community.”

The Telegraph report Brady was having trouble “splitting his time” between his duties as an NFL color analyst and Birmingham owner. He is also a minority owner in the Las Vegas Raiders and the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Ultimately, the 49-year-old believed it was “the best time to move on.”

The Highs and Lows of Brady’s Birmingham Experiment

Tom Brady tried his luck with soccer ownership. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

Brady had a harsh introduction to English soccer. When he became a minority owner, the Blues sat comfortably in the Championship, England’s second tier. But nothing went right during the 2023–24 season.

The club fired England and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney after just 83 days in charge following a rotten run of form that put Birmingham on the brink of the relegation zone. The change in leadership did not have the desired results and the Blues ended the season in 22nd place, with just 13 wins in 46 games.

Brady did not even have a full year of experience yet and he had already watched his club get relegated to League One. The NFL legend, whose name was only ever associated with winning, now found himself splashed across headlines after a disastrous first season in the soccer world.

Birmingham and Brady bounced back in 2024–25, topping England’s third tier with a record 111 points. The Blues secured automatic promotion to the Championship, where they now find themselves atop the table with 29 points.

There’s still plenty of soccer left to be played before Birmingham can begin dreaming of a spot in the Premier League, but they are undoubtedly on the right track, which is potentially another reason why Brady felt comfortable leaving at the present moment.

Brady’s Short-Lived Stint Brought More Eyes to Soccer

We’re in the era of A-List celebrities and American athletes all looking to dip their toes in soccer ownership. NBA icon LeBron James started the trend when he invested in Liverpool back in 2011, but it was really Reynolds and Mac’s success at Wrexham that spurned other high-profile names into action.

Former NFL star J.J. Watt and his wife, Kealia Watt, are minority owners in Burnley. Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant owns a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain. NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently joined Atlético Madrid’s ownership group.

When it comes to the likes of Liverpool, PSG and Atlético Madrid, they hardly need big-name owners to increase their already massive fanbases. But for smaller clubs stuck in the trenches of the lower tiers of English soccer, like Wrexham, Burnley and Birmingham, the addition of a Brady-like figure naturally brings more attention to a team probably most Americans have never even heard of.

Brady’s investment brought unprecedented media attention at Birmingham. Suddenly, major outlets across the U.S. were keeping tabs with a club in League One all because Brady was seen in the stands at games or in a docuseries about the team.

Tom Brady, David Beckham — Tom Brady (left) and David Beckham drew the cameras to Birmingham. | Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Then, there was the Wrexham impact. The Red Dragons and Birmingham were in League One together, where their clashes ultimately became “Hollywood derbies.” Celebrities packed out the stands at either the Racecourse Ground or at St. Andrew’s, and neutrals ate up tales of Reynolds and Mac vs. Brady.

The two clubs both earned promotion to the Championship at the end of the 2024–25 season and continued their newfound rivalry in the second tier, where even more eyes were on the players and the owners.

Even though he was just a minority stakeholder, Brady brought an intrigue to Birmingham, one that ultimately coincided with the team winning the League One title and now in pole position to earn promotion to the Premier League.

Brady’s Exit Serves As a Warning

The level of dedication required to be a hands-on owner of an English soccer club is no joke. Back when Brady purchased his minority stake, he had the time, energy and resources to go all-in at Birmingham.

But since then, Brady added NFL ownership to his portfolio, as well as NFL punditry. He no longer has the availability to just fly to St. Andrew’s for a weekend game against Wrexham; he is wherever FOX needs him for NFL coverage.

Perhaps if he was more of a silent partner, the situation would have worked out, but Brady was chairman of the advisory board. He had responsibilities that demanded much more from him than what he could balance, especially during the NFL season.

Brady can be proud of his contributions to Birmingham, but he now can also serve as a warning to those wanting to invest in a smaller club with the hopes of copying Wrexham’s success. The progress is slow, the seasons are long and the demands are ... well, demanding.

The allure, though, is too strong for some to ignore. And the rewards, especially when it comes to expanding a fanbase and increasing exposure, is too good for certain clubs to pass up. Birmingham might have only had Brady for three years, but they likely don’t regret a single second considering the new fans, coverage and sponsorships he helped bring to a largely forgotten club.

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