Christina Unkel: the FIFA referee-turned-lawyer joining ITV's World Cup 2026 coverage

Christina Unkel will return to ITV as a rules analyst and VAR expert for World Cup 2026, the broadcaster has confirmed, bringing one of football’s more distinctive broadcasting voices back to UK screens after her well-received debut during Euro 2024.

The 39-year-old American is already a familiar face to football audiences in the United States, where she has been a regular part of CBS’s coverage. Her move into UK broadcasting came during last summer’s European Championship, where ITV deployed her to offer expert insight into officiating decisions — a role that has grown in prominence across the sport since the introduction of VAR.

Unkel’s background sets her apart from the typical punditry roster. A former collegiate soccer player, she began refereeing at the age of 10 and went on to become a qualified FIFA official. Away from the pitch, she built a parallel career as a litigation lawyer, and has written as a columnist for The Athletic and CBS Sports on both refereeing and legal matters within the game.

Her broadcasting credits include a featured analyst role during the 2019 Women’s World Cup for Fox Sports in the United States, giving her significant experience of major tournament coverage before her ITV debut.

Unkel’s involvement in football extends beyond the broadcast booth. In July 2024, she was appointed president of the newly formed Tampa Bay Sun FC, adding an executive dimension to an already varied career in the sport.

The use of former referees as broadcast analysts has become increasingly common over the past decade. In the United Kingdom, ex-Premier League official Peter Walton has been a long-standing presence on TNT Sports, while Mike Dean moved into a regular studio role with Sky Sports following his retirement. Unkel’s appointment continues that trend, with ITV evidently satisfied by the reception she received from viewers during Euro 2024.