Christina Unkel ''

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

'' Ibanez is an American broadcaster and former

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

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 Tampa Bay Sun FC is a future professional women's soccer team based in Tampa, Florida, United States. It will be a member of the USL Super League, a new Division I league operated by the United Soccer League, and is scheduled to debut in 202 ...

. 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 ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

'' 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.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unkel, Christina Living people American soccer referees Palm Beach Atlantic University alumni Stetson University alumni Year of birth missing (living people)