AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou has denied the league's 150 years celebrations have been devised to rival the NRL's own milestone festivities. 

While the AFL will earmark the 150th year since the invention of the game, the NRL will commemorate the "Century of Rugby League in Australia" with a year of functions and celebrations.

Demetriou said the timing of the two events was coincidental, and had nothing to do with the continuing rivalry between the codes.

"We earmarked celebrating 150 years two-and-half years ago," he said.

"To be honest, I didn't even know the NRL was celebrating 100 years. Good luck to them; it's their 100 years this year.

"We're not celebrating the AFL. The AFL's had its centenary. We are celebrating the birthplace of football.

"We think it's one of the oldest, if not the oldest, football code in the world. What a great thing it is that we can do it in our own backyard, to be able to celebrate right across the breadth of this country, at every level, is a fantastic thing to be part of."

The AFL will officially launch the 150 years celebrations in Melbourne's Yarra Park this Sunday with a public picnic hosted by Demetriou and Lord Mayor John So from 10.30am until 1pm.