Christina Unkel

Christina Unkel née Ibanez is an American broadcaster and former football referee.

Early life
Unkel started refereeing at the age of ten. She attended Palm Beach Atlantic University in the United States where she got a degree in the rules of Association Football. After that, she attended Stetson University in the United States.

Career
Unkel is a FIFA-licensed referee and officiated at club and international level. She later served as State Referee Administrator for the Florida State Referee Committee. She has also worked as president of American side Tampa Bay Sun FC.

She was a featured analyst during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup for Fox Sports and has also worked as a columnist for The Athletic and CBS Sports.

In June 2024, she was employed by British television station ITV as a refereeing and rules expert for the coverage of the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany. She received praise for her work, being described as "authoritative" by The Guardian.

Personal life
Unkel married American football referee Ted Unkel on 2 May 2009, after meeting at a football tournament in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

She is also an avid Leeds United fan.