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Zimbabwe players are threatening to boycott the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations against host Egypt because they haven't been paid.

Players and a team official, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said a meeting with federation officials at the team hotel on Thursday failed to resolve the standoff.

Zimbabwe are due to open Africa's top tournament against Egypt on Friday in Cairo.

The players refused to train on the eve of the game and are demanding to be paid their allowances for the tournament, along with allowances and match fees still owed to them from a competition last month.

One of the people with knowledge of the situation said some players had asked to be released from the squad so they could return home.

The Zimbabwe Football Association said in a statement that the game against Egypt would go ahead and there was no strike threat, but that was countered by the five players and the team official who spoke to the AP. They said there was still a deadlock in the negotiations.

A strike would cause more embarrassment for African football after FIFA announced on Thursday that it was taking steps to clean up the continent's governing body, which is plagued by allegations of corruption against its president.