[2] The club arose from an informal association of local academics around the medical student Georg August Wagner from Prague, later a professor at Charles University and the Charité in Berlin.

Acquainted with football from his hometown, he organised the first public match in present-day Austria on 18 March 1894 in the Graz municipal park.

The Grazer Athletik-Sport-Club – modeled after the Wiener AC – was established eight years later on the 72nd birthday of Emperor Francis Joseph.

Their biggest success was in 2004 where they did the double – they managed to win the cup yet again along with the Austrian title, finishing the league season one point ahead of Austria Wien.

At an extraordinary meeting on 14 March 2014, Grazer AC was declared to be a continuation of the original "GAK" in agreement with its umbrella association.

The ultra fan groups are known as the Red Firm, the Graz Society, the Tifosi Rosso Bianco and the Everreds.

Parts of the fan scene maintain friendships with KFC Uerdingen 05, NK Čelik Zenica and SV Austria Salzburg.

Total in Austrian first tier as of 23 August 2005: (Goals: 174:168) Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply.