The fundamental principle of astrology is that anything born or begun in a moment in time will carry throughout it’s life the seeds of that moment.
So it’s very important to capture the right moment.
This is simple with human beings, the moment when they take their first breath separate from their mother would count.
When we are looking to understand the astrology of an event or an idea it’s more tricky.
When did it begin ? What constitutes the start ? Should be take into account related moments before or after ?
There are some astrologers who believe that the moment of conception is as important as birth and try to use a chart that covers that.
They probably also think they should be employed to watch over conjugating couples armed with a stopwatch.
This is dumb, not only because of the difficulty in acquiring reliable data, but also because it’s not actually the moment of conception.
There are some astrologers who actually believe that the important moment is when the soul enters the unborn child. They even have their own theories as to when this might happen.
An awful lot of useless pontificating happens on the fringes of our subject.
As a triple Capricorn my aim is to cut to the chase and go with what we know works. Which is that the moment of birth is enough to explain the major themes of a person’s life.
But what about a football match, say the chart for a final.
Will that moment alone enable us to predict the winner ?
There are a lot of indications that it will as shown by Just Like A Conjunction That’s Gonna Win The FA Cup
But should we consider this event chart on its own or as the culmination of a whole tournament, which began earlier in the season.
And if we did, should we cast a chart for the first round, or the third round when the top teams get involved ? Or even back through all the qualifying rounds ?
This would mean casting a chart for 5 or even 10 months before the final itself.
But when it comes to tournaments like a World Cup, this becomes simpler.
Granted qualifying matches begin up to two years earlier but the tournament itself lasts for a month and all the matches are played in the same country ( or in some recent cases it’s spread between a couple ).
During previous tournaments I have noticed that the chart for the opening game can describe the flavour of the following month.
But recently it occurred to me that they might say more.
The opening match is accompanied with a ceremony and its all about a celebration of the country where the tournament is being played.
In fact the game is often the home country’s first match. So maybe the chart of that game could point to the chances of the host nation to win the whole thing.
In recent years FIFA have sent the tournament to countries who would have no chance to win the trophy, it’s all been about money and furthering the reach of the global game.
But in the old days, home advantage was a massive thing.
As I explained in the article, the World Cup is a Plutonic affair. It was first played in the year that Pluto was discovered and the chart of the opening match between France and Mexico with its close conjunction between the Sun and Pluto shows that.
But also the fact that these tournaments generally occur during Cancer season, is perhaps another advantage to the host nation, whether in terms of finance, status and attention or even to win the thing.
The first tournament was held in Uruguay and the host nation won it.
Can we see that in the chart ?
Jupiter, the chart ruler is in Cancer and angular, so that could be a pointer, particularly as it is also the 4th house ruler.
The Moon applies to aspects with Venus and Mars.
The co ruler of the 4th house, Neptune is right on the Midheaven.
Uruguay beat their neighbours Argentina 4 – 2 in the final.
Uruguay had won the Paris Olympics 1924 and in Amsterdam Olympics 1928, however Argentina had won the South American Championship in 1928 and 29.
The Moon separated from a square to Jupiter and applied to a sextile with Mercury, suggesting a win for the underdogs but since we can’t be sure who that was, it’s hard to see if the chart was correct or not.
However, if we pick the 4th ruler as the home side, the Moon has a much closer application to Uranus, so Uruguay win as indicated by the opening match chart.
But one swallow doesn’t make a World Cup summer so we need to see whether this theme continues.
The 1934 tournament was also won by the host nation, Italy.
Again the chart ruler is in Cancer.
The Moon is also applying to an aspect to its co ruler Mars.
But the chart rulers could also be indicating the tournament favourites ‘The Wunderteam’, Austria who were on a 14-game undefeated run.
Italy defeated Austria in the semi finals.
But perhaps the real pointer is the 4th house ruler, Uranus right on an angle.
Italy won the final against Czechoslovakia 2 -1.
Italy were favourites for the final, so the Moon applying to a conjunction with the chart ruler Mars gives victory to them.
As host nation, the 4th ruler, Neptune is again on an angle and the Moon is applying to square it.
The 1938 tournament was held in France, but it was again won by Italy, who were the favourites.
The first match was between Switzerland and Germany.
The Moon does apply to aspects to both Mars and Pluto as chart rulers, indicating the favourites and holders Italy would keep the trophy.
The 4th house ruler, Uranus, does receive an applying aspect from the Moon but it’s an orb of over 9 degrees.
One significant difference between this opening match and the other two is that the 4th ruler is not on an angle.
The final sees the Moon applying to a trine with Pluto for Italy and making no aspect to Venus for Hungary. Italy won 4 – 2.
After this there was a break in proceedings as the fascists tried to make it three in a row ” two world cups and one world war “….
The next one was in Brazil in 1950. Even England deigned to turn up but the hosts were clear favourites.
Not according to the opening match chart though.
Neither the Ascendant ruler, Jupiter or the 4th ruler, Uranus were strongly placed and neither received applying aspects from the Moon.
Pluto sitting right on the MC suggested a shock, which was well and truly administered by neighbours Uruguay in the final as the beat Brazil 2 – 1.
The Moon makes no aspect to either Ascendant or Descendant rulers but by applying to Pluto it would be pointing to the shock suggested in the opening match.
Venus being right on the Descendant is probably another pointer to a Uruguay win.
The opening match of the 1954 tournament in Switzerland was between Brazil and Mexico.
The 4th house rulers, Jupiter and Neptune are not prominently placed and the Moon separates from a square to Neptune, so Switzerland were never going to win.
The Moon also separates from a trine with Pluto as Ascendant ruler showing that the overwhelming tournament favourites, Hungary wouldn’t win either.
They lost in the final to West Germany 3 – 2.
The 1958 World Cup was held in Sweden. The hosts reached the final but were thrashed 5 – 2 by Brazil with the 17 year old Pele scoring twice.
The 4th house ruler Saturn has no strength.
West Germany were tournament favourites but the Moon separating from a sextile to Venus means they were knocked out on route.
The 1962 tournament was held in Chile.
Saturn as 4th house ruler is weakly placed and conjunct the South Node.
Venus for the favourites and holders Brazil is at the Midheaven and the Moon applies to a sextile with it.
Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3 – 1 in the final.
The host nation had not won for over 30 years but all that was to change in 1966 with England beating West Germany in the final 4 – 2.
It seems hard to remember now but the favourites going into the tournament were Brazil.
Jupiter for holders and favourites is poorly placed combust the Sun and Brazil were dumped inthe group stage of the tournament.
The Moon is right on the 4th house angle and its next aspect is a sextile to its ruler Mars for England.
Incidentally the chart for the final shows a clear win for England.
The 4th house ruler Neptune is right on the Ascendant and the Moon applies to it by sextile.
I wish I’d known about astrology as a very stressed 11 year old fan. I also wouldn’t have bet a week’s pocket money with my uncle that we’d lose the semi final to Eusebio’s Portugal ( he magnanimously gave it back after the final ).
Even though we won it in 66, the 1970 tournament, was the finest ever.
It was played in Mexico and won by the favourites Brazil beating Italy 4 – 1 in the final.
The opening match pitched the hosts against the Soviet Union.
Mexico were never going to win the tournament because Jupiter as 4th ruler was not well placed and the Moon separating from an opposition with it.
However Mercury as chart ruler was equally poorly placed and conjunct Saturn.
The Moon only had one more aspect to make, the sextile with Mars. Mars is the 3rd house ruler and in the 3rd sign. Perhaps this is a reference to the tournament being won by neighbours Brazil.
In which case maybe the Ascendant ruler refers to the holders rather than the favourites, because Mercury conjunct Saturn in the 9th house would fit with England’s experience travelling to Mexico.
Checking back through the previous opening match charts, if we substitute holders for favourites as Ascendant ruler, we get the same results.
The 1974 tournament was won by the hosts West Germany.
This chart does still fit the pattern but not obviously.
The Moon applies to an opposition with Pluto suggesting a win for the holders Brazil ( or favourites Netherlands ).
However this opposition focuses by T square onto an apex Saturn, which as ruler of the 4th house is West Germany, who beat the Netherlands 2 – 1 in the final.
The next tournament in 1978 was also won by the hosts, Argentina.
Venus for the holders, West Germany is on the Midheaven and conjunct Jupiter but the Moon is exactly trine Saturn for Argentina.
Argentina beat the Netherlands 3 – 1 in the final.
The 1982 tournament was played in Spain and won by Italy, beating West Germany 3 – 1 in the final.
Neither Jupiter for Argentina nor Neptune for Spain were strongly placed.
Granted the Moon does apply to a square to Neptune but 15 degrees is probably to far away to be considered.
1986 was played in Mexico and won by Diego Maradona’s Argentina.
The Moon separates from aspects with Jupiter for Mexico and Mercury for the holders Italy.
1990 was played in Italy and won by Germany.
Neither Saturn nor Uranus ( for Italy ) are angular or receiving aspects from the Moon.
Pluto for Argentina is close to the Ascendant and they did reach the final but no aspect from the Moon means they lost to Germany.
From 1994 onwards FIFA began to change their policy around host nations, looking for new ones to boost the game’s global appeal and earn more money.
The USA were chosen. They were obviously never going to win it.
Mars as co ruler of the 4th house is at the Midheaven even though its in Taurus the sign of its detriment.
There’s no aspect between the Moon and Mars or Pluto.
The host nation did well to emerge from a tough group phase but that’s as far as they got.
Brazil beat Italy in the final on penalties.
The 1998 hosts, France beat Brazil in the final 3 – 0.
The first match was Brazil v Scotland.
Uranus the 4th ruler was in its own sign and on the IC.
Mars for the holders Brazil was combust.
The Moon was Void but the relative strengths of Uranus and Mars won the trophy for France.
The 2002 World Cup was held in Japan and South Korea and won by Brazil.
Both Ascendant 4th house rulers are nowhere near the angles and receive no aspects from the Moon.
The 2006 version was held in Germany and won by Italy.
Again, nothing happening with 1st or 4th house rulers.
2010 was held in South Africa and won by Spain.
Same result with the opening chart.
2014 was held in Brazil and won by Germany.
Despite the level of expectation for a home victory, Brazil were dumped out in humiliating fashion by the eventual winners.
Again nothing happening with the 1st / 4th rulers.
The opening match charts for the last two World Cups in Russia and Qatar do have the 4th house rulers on angles but those countries would obviously never have been in the running to win the thing.
But this probably just reflects the political advantages to the two countries of having the world’s media sports washing their regimes.
So what can we deduce from all this ?
Can the chart for the opening match of a tournament tell us if the host nation will win it ?
There have been 22 World Cup tournaments, the host nation has won it 6 times, in 1930, 34, 66, 74, 78 and 98.
On three of these occasions the 4th house ruler was within 2 degrees of an angle in 1930, 1934 and 1998.
This feature only happened once in any of the other 16 tournaments and that was with the USA in 94 who were never in the running to win the thing.
In each of the other 3 host nation wins, the Moon has been applying to an aspect to the 4th house ruler with an orb of less than 4 degrees.
This also never happened in the 16 tournaments that weren’t won by the host nation.
So it looks like we’ve found an important theme. Does it work for other sports though ?
I decided to look at cricket World Cups.
One problem that the cricket has thrown up is the possibility of the Moon being the 4th house ruler.
That didn’t occur in the football charts because even the ones held in the Southern hemisphere are generally played during Cancer season so as not to interfere with the European leagues. Unless they kicked off in the middle of the night, the Moon wouldn’t be the 4th house ruler.
The Moon obviously can’t apply to itself so it’s best if we discount the opening charts for the 1992, 1996 and 2015 tournaments from our test.
This leaves us with 9 cricket World Cups beginning with the first in 1975.
None of the first 6 were won by the host nation. In all of those opening matches there was only one that featured either of our host nation victory themes.
The 1979 tournament was played in England. The hosts lost in the final to the West Indies. The opening match was England v Australia.
Here the 4th ruler, Mars is within 2 degrees of the Midheaven.
But it is exactly opposite Uranus right on the IC.
The chart for the final had a similar theme.
An exact Moon in 10th / Neptune in 4th opposition indicated that the home side would lose.
Checking back with the football world cups, none of the host nation victories with the 4th house ruler on an angle occurred with challenging aspects to planets on other angles.
So we need to incorporate that into our pattern.
The last three cricket world cups have seen victories for the home side.
The 2011 tournament was held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and won by India.
In this case both of our methods are present in the opening match chart.
The 4th house ruler, Venus is within 2 degrees of the Descendant and receives an applying trine from the Moon.
The 2015 opening chart has Cancer on the 4th house cusp so has to be discounted from our project.
The last world cup was in England and won by the home side.
The opening match pitched England against South Africa.
Here the Moon applies to a close square to the 4th house ruler, Pluto.
So to recap from our findings, the chart for the opening match of any tournament can tell us whether the home nation will be successful or not.
If the 4th house ruler is within 2 degrees of an angle, a home win is guaranteed unless there is another planet on a different angle that is afflicting it.
If the Moon is applying to a major aspect with the 4th house ruler ( provided that they aren’t the same ), a home win will also occur.
If neither of the conditions are present in the opening match chart, the home nation falls by the wayside.
We will have a very quick opportunity to test this theory.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup has just started in France.
The opening match sees the hosts in action against New Zealand.
The 4th house ruler is the Moon and it’s exactly conjunct the IC, so we would expect France to win the whole tournament.
The chart for the final reinforces this view.
The 4th ruler is the Sun.
The Moon applies to a close opposition with the Sun which should mark a clear win for France.
However this match occurs during a lunar eclipse and we’ve not seen a World Cup Final played under those conditions yet, so who knows ?
My feeling is this final will be a strong win for the host nation.
The French national chart has the Moon at 8 Cancer on the IC, within a degree of the same placement for the tournament’s opening match.
Also the national chart’s Jupiter is in the same degree as the final chart’s 4th house ruler and Sun.
Regular readers of these articles will know how important it is to astrologically elect all the key events in their lives.
The next football European Championships are to be held in Germany. We know the start date but not the kick off time for the first match.
If it is this one with the 4th house ruler Neptune right on the IC and the Moon very tightly applying to an opposition with it, we will know that traditional German efficiency extends to their football authorities reading these articles.
It goes without saying that anyone who reads these articles will be a winner.
Posted 10th September 2023
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