Viewers in the United Kingdom have enjoyed the input of a new voice on ITV’s coverage of Euro 2024 with Christina Unkel making a positive first impression.
American football watchers will be familiar with former top level official Unkel, who has been a regular part of CBS’ broadcasts of the sport over the last few years.
But the 37-year-old is a fresh face for most in the UK as ITV look to offer expert insight into the officiating at the tournament.
The presence of an ex-referee as part of a broadcast team has become more common over the last decade, with former Premier League official Peter Walton a BT Sport/TNT Sports stalwart and Mike Dean stepping into a regular role with Sky Sports after retiring last year.
The addition of the video assistant referee (VAR) to football has created more opportunities for ex-officials to explain decisions made on the pitch.
A former collegiate soccer player in the United States, Unkel is an experienced former Fifa referee who took up officiating at the age of 10.
A qualified litigation lawyer, Unkel was a featured analyst during the 2019 Women’s World Cup for Fox Sports and has worked as a columnist for The Athletic and CBS Sports covering refereeing and legal issues within the game.
She also operates within football in a rather different capacity — in July of last year, Unkel was appointed president of the newly-formed Tampa Bay Sun FC.
The Florida club are set to play their first professional campaign in the inaugural season of the USL Super League, which launches in August.
