Football Association stands to lose up to £26 million if England fail to reach 2014 World Cup in Brazil Nike, who bought the Umbro brand five years ago, is due to unveil a new kit in the summer and shirt sales are predicted to top one million if England make it to the finals. "The FA will get a royalty on every shirt sold, so put that together and you get to a pretty big number," the source said. World Cup elimination would also have a knock-on effect on the wider UK economy, with retailers missing out on the surge in sales in beer, food and televisions that normally accompanies England's qualification for championship finals. The British Retail Consortium estimated that the team's failure to make it to Euro 2008 under Steve McClaren cost the economy as much as £600 million. But for the FA, it is the damage to the England brand that could prove most costly of all should the country miss out on Brazil. The FA works in four-year World Cup cycles when it comes to signing England commercial deals, which means its current contracts with Vauxhall, Umbro, Mars, Carlsberg, Lucozade, Nivea and Marks and Spencer all expire at the same time at the end of the World Cup. Umbro, Carlsberg and Mars are long-standing commercial partners whom the FA would be hopeful of retaining even if England fail to qualify for Brazil, though their forbearance cannot be guaranteed. Nationwide, another long-term partner, lost patience with the ailing England brand after the failure to qualify for Euro 2008 was compounded by England's dismal ­showing at the 2010 World Cup. It opted not to renew its lead sponsor deal and it took six months for the FA to sign up Vauxhall as a replacement, costing it £3 million in revenue. National Express, a more recent addition to the FA Partner Programme, also pulled out as England's official travel operator following the 2010 World Cup debacle. The FA makes more than £50 million a year from its commercial deals, a crucial part of its overall income, but Nigel Currie, a director of leading sponsorship and sports marketing company Brand Rapport, warned that failure to qualify for Brazil could have dire consequences. "I think the damage would be very significant on a number of fronts," he said. Not only is the England team not performing, but the actual status of it is looking like it's starting to diminish, and not qualifying for the World Cup would be a huge blow. "If you don't qualify, it would certainly put a lot of doubt in sponsors" minds because the World Cup is a really big opportunity to cash in on all the work. The England team doesn't come together very often, certainly not competitively, so a World Cup or a European Championship is a really big payday for the sponsors and they will build all their activity around that. Whenever it doesn't happen, it just means there is a huge void and a huge opportunity missed. The one crumb of comfort for the FA is that it has already insulated itself against a downturn in TV rights income after signing a collective broadcast deal with Uefa that guarantees it around £25 million a year from 2014 onwards for its qualifying matches for the 2016 European Championships and 2018 World Cup. However, the FA retains the rights for its six home friendly internationals a year, which could prove a difficult sell if it fails to reach the finals next year. Its current two-year, £90 million deal with ITV, which covers all England home games as well as FA Cup matches, expires in 2014. The road to Rio or ruin Sept 6: England v Moldova World ranking: 131 England have played Moldova three times, twice in qualifying for the 1998 World Cup, and once last September. They have won all three, and have yet to concede a goal. Verdict: The easiest of England's remaining games. Anything other than a win would be terminal to England's World Cup hopes. Sept 10: Ukraine v England World ranking: 48 England have played in Ukraine twice. The first was for a World Cup qualifier in 2009, when they lost 1-0. The second was last summer, when they beat the Euro 2012 co-hosts in Donetsk. England have lost one and drawn three of the teams" other meetings. The venue for this match is yet to be selected. Verdict: Arguably the toughest game of the group. Even a draw could put first place beyond England. Oct 11: England v Montenegro World ranking: 28 Montenegro have played England three times, and have yet to lose. They drew 0-0 at Wembley in 2012, 2-2 in Podgorica when Wayne Rooney was sent off, and 1-1 on Tuesday night. Verdict: Could be the pivotal qualifier. England will have to win for a serious hope of winning the group. Oct 15: England v Poland World ranking: 61 England's qualifying fate has hinged regularly on the outcome of matches against Poland. The 1-1 draw at Wembley in 1973 was costly, and they also lost the away game in that unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign. Since then, that 1974 defeat is England's only defeat in 18 internationals between the teams. Verdict: England's hope now is they go into this game with first place still at stake. Or at least a play-off spot.