Marsala of Motya, an ancient Phoenician town. The modern name likely derived from the Arabic مَرْسَى عَلِيّ (marsā ʿaliyy, “Ali's harbor”), or possibly مَرْسَى اللّٰه (marsā llāh, “God's harbor”). Situated at the extreme western point of Sicily, the town was founded on Lilibeo Cape from where the Aegadian Islands and the Stagnone Lagoon can be seen. The territory of Marsala, , has a rich cultural and landscape heritage; its area includes the Stagnone Lagoon, a Natural Reserve in which is located the island of Mozia. The city of Marsala had a population of about 86,000 until the end of 1970, when
S.S.D. Marsala Calcio ended round N of Serie C in sixth place. Since then, Marsala played 28 other times at the Serie C level, narrowly missing promotion to Serie B in 1960 (second placed in the round C) and launching several young players which then obtained notoriety even at the worldwide level such as, in more recent times, Marco Materazzi and Patrice Evra. The team declared bankruptcy in 2000, after a Serie C1 season ended with a relegation. A new team, Associazione Sportiva Marsala 2000, was founded as relocation of existing Eccellenza club "Don Bosco Partinico". The team immediately promoted to Serie D,