Who Is Jana Kramer's Fiancé? All About Allan Russell

Jana Kramer and Allan Russel announced their engagement on May 25 after six months of dating

Photo: Jana Kramer/instagram

Jana Kramer found love across the pond.

The recently-engaged country music star first hinted that she was in a new relationship during her Whine Down with Jana Kramer podcast at the beginning of January, though she didn't mention Allan Russell's name at the time.

While she insisted on keeping details of her new beau on the down low on the show, Kramer took her romance with the England-based soccer coach public at the end of the month when she made their relationship Instagram official.

Prior to revealing the identity of her then-boyfriend, Kramer had vocalized her qualms about entering a new relationship. Among her concerns included long-distance and uncertainty. "I don't know if this is my forever person," she explained on the podcast.

"But, like, I'm not going to push away love just because I've been hurt before," she continued. "I'm going to embrace it. I'm going to have fun. And if it doesn't work out, well, you know what, I'm gonna learn a lot of lessons. And I had a lot of fun along the way."

After six-and-a-half months of dating, Kramer announced on the May 25th episode of Whine Down with Jana Kramer that she and Russell are engaged. "I've had a few things that I have not been talking about because, you know, just want to do it when I'm ready, and so I've got an announcement today," she said before revealing the exciting news.

Russell marks the singer's first public relationship since she and boyfriend Ian Schinelli split in April 2022. Kramer was also previously married to Mike Caussin from May 2015 to July 2021 when they finalized their divorce. They share daughter Jolie Rae and son Jace Joseph together, another factor that's "always [her] concern" about dating new people.

"I don't care about me, my heart's been broken a million times, I can deal with another broken heart — my kids, that's a different story," she said of potentially blending her family with Russell's in the future. "They're older now, they understand more now."

Here's everything to know about Allan Russell.

He's a former soccer player from Scotland

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Russell was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland prior to starting his professional soccer career with Hamilton Academical in 1999. He played four years on the professional football club, making sixty league appearances within that period.

The former Scottish athlete spent several years playing for various premiere leagues across the UK — including St. Mirren, Macclesfield Town, Mansfield Town and Airdrie — before attracting interest from Scottish Premier League teams in 2008 and ultimately signing with Kilmarnock.

When his contract expired, Russell took his international talents across the pond and signed with the American football league, the Carolina RailHawks, in July 2010. He repped the North Carolina team for one year before playing as both a defensive midfielder and a striker for California's Orange County Blues FC until 2014.

He's currently a soccer coach in England

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Russell took his soccer expertise from player to coach when he joined the England staff as a striker coach in March 2017. His work was particularly recognized and praised after an impressive goal during the team's matchup against Panama in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

In April 2022, Russell returned to his native Scotland for a brief stint with Aberdeen Football Club before taking on the role as co-head coach for Norwich City Football Club on an interim basis later that December.

He met Jana on a dating app

Jana Kramer/Instagram

In September 2021, Kramer told PEOPLE that dating apps weren't for her. "I literally hated it," she said at the time. However, the online match-making method seemed to work out for the singer because it's what led to her initial connection with Russell.

Although admittedly skeptical at first, Kramer revealed on her Whine Down with Jana Kramer podcast that she'd give her international connect a shot. "It just feels different," she on the Jan. 9 episode. "Who I am in this relationship is who I've always wanted to be."

He and Jana are in a long-distance relationship

Jana Kramer/instagram

Part of Kramer's skepticism to pursue a relationship with Russell was because of the long-distance commitment it would require. "Even with him, I said, 'No, this is silly. I'm a mom with two kids and I live in Nashville, like, how would this even work?'" she explained on her podcast.

However, there was "something about him" that made her say, "'Okay, well, let me just see, what does the conversation hurt, right?' This just feels different." She also shared that she and Russell were committed to seeing each other despite the distance.

"We're trying not to go more than three weeks without seeing each other," she said on the show. Although the plan poses some challenges with their respective work schedules, Kramer said that she's "trying not to put too much pressure on it."

He posted with Jana for the first time on Valentine's Day

Allan Russell/instagram

While Kramer made her relationship with Russell public in January, the soccer player made his romance with the singer Instagram official a month later on Valentine's Day. He shared an adorable photo of him cuddling up to Kramer and their dog.

Russell paired the heartwarming photo with a simple, yet sweet caption. "Babe x," he wrote alongside a red heart.

He made his red carpet debut with Jana at the iHeart Radio Music Awards

Allan Russell and Jana Kramer. Christopher Polk/getty

Two months after Kramer revealed she was in a new relationship, the singer made her red carpet debut with Russell at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards in March.

"I'm happy. I'm in a great relationship. He's a wonderful man, and I've got amazing, healthy kids. I'm blessed. I feel very blessed," she told PEOPLE about her relationship with the soccer coach. "I'm in a new chapter, and it feels really nice. For the first time I'm really embracing it, and I'm trying to sink in that I deserve this new chapter."

He has kids of his own

Jana Kramer/instagram

While discussing Jennifer Lopez's comments about blending families with husband Ben Affleck on her Whine Down podcast in January, Kramer opened up about blending families with Russell (whose identity was still unknown at the time). Kramer also mentioned that the soccer coach is a dad, noting that he has "older" kids.

He proposed to Jana after six months of dating

Kramer explained how Russell proposed to her when speaking on the Whine Down with Jana Kramer podcast on May 25. She said that the magical moment happened during a small pool party that she and her beau were hosting.

As it wrapped up, Kramer said that Russell suggested they go with her kids for a walk up to the new house they’re building. "It was a really beautiful night, and me and the kids were all sitting… on the front porch of the steps, and just looking out at the view," she said.

"And he said my name, and I got up or whatever and then he got down on one knee, and Jolie just started jumping up and down. It was the cutest thing ever, it's like she knew what was happening," Kramer gushed.

The star said she "kind of blacked out" at that point, but remembers Russell saying, "You're the love of my life" and asking for her hand in marriage. "We just both started crying, and it felt very sentimental given the front porch of the new house, new beginnings. It just felt right," she said.

"It was perfect. We were actually supposed to be in Jamaica but something happened with the resort so we ended up staying here, but honestly that's exactly what I would have wanted, was at the house," she continued. "I don't need the roses and the whole glam setup."